Category — Jim Ogonowski

The quotes in this Boston Globe article on the MA-05 election between Niki Tsongas and Jim Ogonowski summarize this race. 

The pro Ogonowski quote: 

“I feel strongly that we’re not going to get out of Iraq as quickly as we want to,” Dunlop said. “I hear the ads saying he’s `another George Bush on Iraq,’ but I just don’t believe that. I think we need someone who’s going to be honest with us about the whole situation.”

It’d be easy for Jim to repudiate the war and agree to bring our troops home now.  However, he’s giving you an honest assessment of the situation.  Isn’t that the kind of leadership we need? 

The pro Tsongas quote:

“Niki is from a person she was married to, Paul Tsongas, one of the finest people we ever knew,” said Tom Salem, a Dracut Housing Authority member who introduced the candidate at the senior center. “Niki will hopefully carry the ball where Paul left off.” 

In other words, vote for Niki because she was a politician’s wife and you recognize her last name.  That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement.

If you want the status quo and name recognition, vote Tsongas.  If you’re looking for leadership and change, vote Ogonowski.

The MA-05 race to replace Marty “I’m taking the 280 large at UMass Lowell” Meehan has gotten pretty interesting.  What most observers might think would be a cake walk race for Niki Tsongas, widow of former Senator Paul Tsongas, looks competitive.  Or as one panicked blog amusingly put it, the “unthinkable” could happen, as if electing a Republican in MA is equivalent to getting a disease, and Jim Ogonowski might get elected.

However, MA needs some “diversity” of leadership and sending a Republican to Congress would be a good start.  One party rule has made the state’s Democratic establishment complacent.  An Ogonowski victory would send an important wakeup call.  In fact, Mr. Ogonowski, a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, made changing Congress, something that Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid haven’t done, a major theme of his campaign.  A vote for Tsongas is an endorsement of the state’s machine politics and most of us are tired of that.  

Therefore, I encourage you to visit Jim’s site, learn more about him, and decide if a vote for him is right for you.