POLS PRESS FLESH IN PRE-PRIMARY PUSH
Candidates across the state are making their closing arguments in a final push to turn out voters and convince those who haven’t yet made up their mind.
Nearly every candidate running a contested race was out relying on tried and true retail politics, shaking hands at Market Baskets, peering under hair dryers in salons and trying to greet as many people as possible with just days before Election Day.
Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley, who is challenging U.S. Rep. Michael E. Capuano for the Democratic nomination in the 7th Congressional District, including parts of Boston, Somerville and Cambridge, said her campaign is aiming to rally many voters who are not traditionally thought of as the main electorate in a primary election.
“We have to rewrite the math and challenge conventional narratives and assumptions about who is a primary voter,” she said. “I’ll be on a lot of doorsteps, around a lot of kitchen tables and living rooms and faith houses, a lot of bus stops, a lot of T stations, and it is Labor Day, so I’m going to be at a lot of barbecues, too.”
Capuano said his campaign is going through the typical pre-Election Day routine of identifying the voters they want to ensure make it to the polls so their message is as well received as possible.
“It’s the same message we’ve been sending since Day One: right now this district, this state, this country is in the fight for our lives,” Capuano said. “We deserve the best fighter we can get ... which is me.”
Gubernatorial candidates are also making their case, with Democrats Jay Gonzalez and Bob Massie vying for their party’s nomination. Gov. Charlie Baker is facing a far-right challenge from Scott Lively.
Josh Zakim, a Boston city councilor seeking to unseat longtime
incumbent William F. Galvin as secretary of state, was on Cape Cod, the South Coast and other cities south of Boston yesterday. He said he is reminding voters not only to vote for him, but that the election is just days away. Zakim has criticized Galvin for scheduling the election for the day after Labor Day.
“We’re going to be knocking on thousands and thousands of doors, going to farmers’ markets, cookouts; where folks are going to be, you’ll see us,” Zakim said. “We’re reminding people the election is the day after Labor Day. Just to make sure they know that for the first time in 24 years they have a choice for secretary of state.”
Galvin said he will be spending the next few days campaigning but also preparing to run the election, experience he said his competitor does not have.
“We have a very important election not only this year but in 2020, and I think the integrity of the electoral process is extremely important,” Galvin said. “I think I have a superior record. Obviously, Mr. Zakim doesn’t have any experience whatsoever in terms of election administration.”
Even high-profile elected officials without their own primaries were campaigning for others yesterday. Attorney General Maura Healey appeared with Pressley, where she said she had worked with the councilor for years and attributed one of her signature issues — predatory lending — to Pressley’s influence. Healey also appeared with state Rep. Jeffrey Sanchez, the chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means committee, who is facing a primary challenge of his own.
In Haverhill, Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh appeared with his former chief of staff Daniel Koh as he hopes to top a massive field of candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for U.S. representative in the 3rd Congressional District. Walsh will campaign with Capuano today.
Today, candidates will continue knocking on doors and standing outside grocery stores while their staff marshal volunteers for canvassing, sign-holding and phone calling.
Tomorrow, many will take advantage of the holiday to speak at Labor Day breakfasts in Worcester and Boston. Democratic candidates will no doubt use the day to espouse their support for and from unions.