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Ogonowski's House bid gets boost
Boston Globe ^ | April 27, 2007

Posted on 04/27/2007 5:57:42 AM PDT by GQuagmire

The congressional campaign of Air Force Lieutenant Colonel James Ogonowski, whose brother was the pilot of one of the jets flown into the World Trade Center in the Sept. 11 attacks, got a boost yesterday when two fellow Republicans announced they won't run and will support him.

(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...


TOPICS: Government; Politics/Elections; US: Massachusetts
KEYWORDS: 2007; specialelection
Mayor Michael Sullivan of Lawrence and former NFL player Fred Smerlas announced they will not enter the race for the seat being vacated by US Representative Martin T. Meehan and said they will support Ogonowski, the only announced GOP candidate.

"I decided to stay full time here in Lawrence," Sullivan said, adding that he had pledged to complete his second term as mayor. "We're at a tremendous time where economic development is literally at an all-time high."

Ogonowski's brother, John, was the pilot of American Airlines Flight 11, which was heading from Boston to Los Angeles when it was hijacked by Al Qaeda terrorists and flown into the World Trade Center, killing 92 people aboard.

Ogonowski, a political novice who announced Tuesday that he would run for Meehan's seat, said his brother's death weighed heavily in his decision.

Both Smerlas and Sullivan said they were not forced out by state Republicans.

"No one tells me what to do," the former NFL lineman said. "I have faith in Jim. I believe in this guy."

If he is unchallenged in the GOP primary, Ogonowski will be able to build and conserve funds for a showdown with the Democratic nominee.

The seat has been held by a Democrat since the Nixon administration.

Six Democrats have announced their candidacies, includ ing Niki Tsongas of Lowell, widow of the late US senator Paul Tsongas; Councilor Eileen M. Donoghue of Lowell; state Representatives Barry Finegold of Andover, James Eldridge of Acton, and James Miceli of Wilmington; and party activist David O'Brien of Tewks bury

1 posted on 04/27/2007 5:57:43 AM PDT by GQuagmire
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To: GQuagmire
Mass has not one Federal position held by a Republican (all congressional and senate seats are democrat)
2 posted on 04/27/2007 6:03:30 AM PDT by 2banana (My common ground with terrorists - they want to die for islam and we want to kill them)
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To: GQuagmire
I wish him well, but Massachusetts? Come on! What chance does a Republican have? That district hasn't had a Republican in over 30 years.
3 posted on 04/27/2007 6:09:15 AM PDT by Non-Sequitur (Save Fredericksburg. Support CVBT.)
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To: 2banana

He’s not running in my district,but I wish him all the luck needed to win.I can just see the Globe cringing at the thought of a Repub. in the Mass. delegation


4 posted on 04/27/2007 6:11:46 AM PDT by GQuagmire (Giggety,Giggety,Giggety)
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To: Non-Sequitur

> I wish him well, but Massachusetts? Come on! What chance does a Republican have? That district hasn’t had a Republican in over 30 years.

In the Republican sweep of 94, Mass. elected two Republicans to the House, so it’s not impossible. Also Kerry is reputably in trouble, and if Curt Schilling decides to run against him, things could get interesting.


5 posted on 04/27/2007 6:21:58 AM PDT by cloud8
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To: cloud8

Good luck Oggy, I’ll do all I can. The only other Republican showing interest is former Boston College and Buffalo Bills lineman Fred Smerlas.


6 posted on 04/27/2007 6:27:03 AM PDT by massgopguy (I owe everything to George Bailey)
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To: cloud8

The two were incumbents who first won in 1992, they held on by unremarkable margins in ‘94 and lost narrowly in ‘96.


7 posted on 04/27/2007 12:46:44 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (Would you vote for President a guy who married his cousin? Me, neither. Accept no RINOs. Fred in '08)
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To: Non-Sequitur

Ironically, the last rodent House candidate to lose (in 1972) was none other than John Kerry.


8 posted on 04/27/2007 12:47:21 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (Would you vote for President a guy who married his cousin? Me, neither. Accept no RINOs. Fred in '08)
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To: Radix; Clintonfatigued; JohnnyZ; Kuksool; Clemenza; AuH2ORepublican; AntiGuv; LdSentinal

*ping*

Mayor Sullivan is out in the MA 5th House special.


9 posted on 04/27/2007 12:48:24 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (Would you vote for President a guy who married his cousin? Me, neither. Accept no RINOs. Fred in '08)
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To: fieldmarshaldj; MassachusettsGOP

Bummer, as Sullivan would have been a stronger candidate.


10 posted on 04/27/2007 3:42:04 PM PDT by Clintonfatigued (If the GOP were to stop worshiping Free Trade as if it were a religion, they'd win every election)
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