News from the Special Election, Primary and General

February and March, 2008

Ehrlich rolls in rep race (Marblehead Reporter)

Ehrlich took 56.6 percent of the vote to Republican John Blaisdell’s 34.6 percent and independent Mark Barry’s 8.8 percent. Ehrlich triumphed in all but one of the district’s 15 precincts, the exception being Marblehead’s Precinct 7, where Blaisdell won by five votes.
 
Homongous Standout for Lori Ehrlich
 
(This photo is only the crowd on the westbound side of Paradise Road, Swampscott. There was an equally impressive and enthusiastic crowd standing eastbound.  Both sides were delighted by a surprise visit from the General Manager of Uno's Pizzeria (seen right) with boxes of hot pizzas!)
 
Numbers by precinct (Salem News)

Ehrlich wins rep race handily (Lynn Item)

Marblehead Democrat Lori Ehrlich won the 8th Essex District seat in Tuesday night's special election, handily besting Repubican John Blaisdell and Independent Mark Barry at the polls.

 
In a three-way race, Ehrlich, a Democrat, trounced her closest competition, Republican John Blaisdell, by a nearly 2-1 ratio. Ehrlich took 57 percent of yesterday's votes to Blaisdell's 35 percent, while independent Mark Barry picked up the remainder.
 
Lori getting sworn in in the House chamber and then making her first speech on the House floor:
 

In Democrat Lori Ehrlich, voters have a chance to put in office a person with a long history of very successful citizen activism.

The Marblehead resident is a founding member of the influential environmental group, HealthLink, and also played a major role in the cleanup of the area around Wenham Lake. A certified public accountant, she has the education, experience in public policy matters and familiarity with the community to make an outstanding public servant.

In a recent forum hosted by this newspaper, Ehrlich acknowledged that the problems she faces, including a serious school funding crisis in Swampscott, are considerable, and her ability to effect change as a freshman legislator will be limited. However, those who have dealt with the Lynn native and Swampscott High School graduate have learned never to underestimate her.

Tuesday she received a rousing endorsement from Gov. Deval Patrick who said he would welcome her as a partner in his efforts to turn the development of new technologies for energy production and conservation, into a major driving force for the state's economy.

Unlike the Republican in the race, retired Marblehead police officer John Blaisdell, Ehrlich has indicated a willingness to consider new taxes — the local-option meals tax in particular — as a means of addressing cities and towns' pressing fiscal needs. However, any new revenue initiative should be balanced by efforts to reduce costs.

The town of Swampscott was recently thwarted by the unions in its bid to lower its health insurance expenses by joining the state Group Insurance Commission. Legislation could be introduced this session removing the union veto and it will be interesting to see how Ehrlich, if she is the winner Tuesday, votes on this bill.

If elected, Ehrlich will also have to show that her concerns extend beyond the environmental issues with which she has long been associated. But based on the qualifications and enthusiasm she had brought to this contest, Ehrlich deserves a chance to represent the 8th Essex District at the Statehouse for the remainder of this year.

Editorial: Ehrlich for state rep (Marblehead Reporter)

Marblehead - Fighter. Listener. Partner.

Ideally, the new state-representative we elect next Tuesday, March 4 will be all three. We think Democrat Lori Ehrlich has the best chance at attaining that ideal, and we urge you to give her your vote.

Those who take Ehrlich’s unfailingly polite and thoughtful demeanor for a lack of intensity and tenacity would be sadly mistaken. Back in 2003, a Conservation Law Foundation profiled Ehrlich, calling her in the headline a “mother grizzly.”

“Ehrlich has no fangs and snarl, but she’s fiercely effective in defending the health” of North Shore residents, the piece continued.

We’d trade fangs and a snarl for actual results anytime, and Ehrlich has gotten them. First, as a founder of HealthLink, she brought to the fore the health hazards posed by the Salem Power Plant and the rest of the “Filthy Five,” a fight that few recognized the importance of, and even fewer were willing to tackle. Then, as co-founder of the Wenham Lake Watershed Association, she helped set in motion the cleanup of a drinking-water source for some 80,000 people, when it would have been far easier to say, “Not in my back yard.”

In our view, those who would dismiss Ehrlich as a “one-issue candidate” are missing the forest for the trees (pardon the pun). To us, her environmental successes are evidence of skills — in negotiation, in persuasion, in working within the system while not taking “no” for an answer — that will translate to any of the untold challenges that lie ahead. Her record in this regard distinguishes her in a field of likeable, well-intentioned competitors.

To us, those successes show that when Ehrlich takes a cause into her heart, she is difficult to deny. As she has toured the 8th Essex District in this abbreviated campaign, she has listened to her would-be constituents’ concerns and has pledged to make them her own. If history is any judge, Ehrlich’s talent and passion will be a potent combination.

In his visit to Marblehead Tuesday, Gov. Deval Patrick implored voters, “Send us partners.” In Lori Ehrlich, Patrick would be getting a partner not only with impeccable credentials (22 years experience as a CPA, master’s in public administration from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government) but one who has done considerable thinking — and acting — toward their shared priorities, and who won’t hesitate to object, politely but forcefully, when she feels the governor is going astray.

We urge you to help forge that partnership with your vote next Tuesday.

The Boston Globe: Voters decide Tuesday on two seats in House

Excerpt: A self-employed certified public accountant with a master's degree in public administration from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, Ehrlich, 44, cofounded two area environmental groups - the Wenham Lake Watershed Association and HealthLink.

The spirit of her campaign is captured by the expression, "If the people lead, the leaders will follow," Ehrlich said. "I've listened. I've shared ideas. People have shared ideas with me. And now I hope to put them into action . . . . I have over a 10-year record of operating in much the same way, and gotten results."

She would work to "make sure our public schools get the state funding they need and deserve and to find creative avenues of relief for strained municipal budgets," Ehrlich said. "And I want to make sure our seniors are well taken care of and their services are fully funded."

Governor Patrick packs 'em in at local restaurant (Marblehead Reporter)

 

By Kris Olson

Wed Feb 27, 2008 

Marblehead -  While in town to pump up the candidacy of the Democratic nominee for state representative, Gov. Deval Patrick took a moment to suggest that things might be going a little better for him on Beacon Hill than Boston daily newspaper readers may have been led to believe.

Patrick told a room full of Lori Ehrlich supporters at Sweeney’s Retreat restaurant that he wanted to stress two words: “perspective” and “partnership.”

Deval Patrick in Lori Button

To illustrate the first, he noted that someone in the room had complimented him on “letting his hair grow out,” a reference to a Feb. 12 Globe story that stemmed from showing up to a public appearance with his head shaved nearly bald. To Patrick’s chagrin, the paper made no mention of the event at which his new “dome” made its debut: a joint appearance with Massachusetts General Hospital doctors and board members to announce progress on his plan to invest $1 billion to ensure the state only enhances its status as a leader in scientific research.

Though pundits have called his first year in office “frustrating,” Patrick countered that progress on his life-sciences initiative is just one of many positive developments.

“Last year, in my first year in office, we distributed more money in education, in transportation, in public safety, in housing in substance-abuse [treatment] that we have in a long time, and in some cases the most in history,” Patrick said. “We went from 48th in the nation in job creation to 15th by adding 22,000 new jobs.”

Patrick lauded the passing a balanced budget and the expansion to 35 feet of the buffer zones around abortion clinics, along with the stand taken for marriage equality.

“We beat back the effort to re-insert discrimination into the constitution,” he said.

He said the life-science initiative, along with proposals on clean energy, bringing broadband technology to central and western Massachusetts and “host of bond bills” are “all poised for movement.”

A key, said Patrick, is for voters to “send us partners” up to Beacon Hill. From Marblehead, Patrick was off to Melrose for an event for Katherine Clark, another Democratic candidate who faces a contested election next Tuesday.

“None of the work we are doing happens without partners,” Patrick said, implicitly acknowledging state representatives Barbara L’Italien of Andover and Harriett Stanley of West Newbury, who were in the crowd.

He added that Ehrlich, whom he first met as a fledgling gubernatorial candidate three years ago, “exactly the kind of partner I want.”

Patrick drew laughs explaining that his “deep and rich” relationship with Ehrlich began when he mistakenly showed up a week early for a fundraiser she and her family had agreed to host. That led to an hour-long policy discussion in Ehrlich’s kitchen, which Ehrlich would later explain caused her to answer Patrick’s call to “check back in” to the political process.

Ehrlich worked on Patrick’s energy and environmental policy team during his campaign, and Ehrlich’s ideas have become part of the administration’s policies, Patrick said. 

Governor Deval Patrick stops by Sweeney's Retreat to Stump for Lori

 

MARBLEHEAD – (From joint press release) Governor Deval Patrick yesterday came to the 8th Essex District to show his support for Lori Ehrlich’s campaign for State Representative.

The Governor spoke at a campaign event for his long time supporter turned candidate at Sweeney’s Retreat in Marblehead.

Ehrlich helped to craft energy and environmental policy for his campaign. Ehrlich stated her enthusiasm to get to work on Beacon Hill. "The Governor has been a leader on renewable energy as a source of economic development," said Ehrlich. "It was his vision of a more sustainable energy future for our state that first caught my attention.”

Governor Patrick stated his support for Ehrlich and her campaign.“Lori Ehrlich understands that sound environmental policy for Massachusetts goes hand-in-hand with good economic policy," Patrick said. "Lori is a leading advocate for creating a clean energy economy in Massachusetts that promotes innovation, creates jobs and protects our environment. I look forward to working with her as a partner on Beacon Hill."

Ehrlich Wins Democratic State Rep Primary Decisively 

Bette Keva
Jewish Journal Staff

 

Crowds poured into Sweeney's Retreat in Marblehead after the polls closed on Super Tuesday to congratulate Lori Ehrlich, who topped the Democratic ticket for District 8 State Representative. She defeated her opponent in the primary by more than a 2:1 margin.

Ehrlich won decisively on her home turf of Marblehead, receiving 4,008 votes to Cesar Archilla's 768. She also beat him in both Lynn precincts with 457 votes to his 366. In Archilla's hometown of Swampscott, Ehrlich narrowly lost, but by only six votes. The district includes Marblehead, Swampscott and parts of Lynn.
In the March 4 final election, she faces John Blaisdell, the Republican winner in Tuesday's contest, and Independent Mark Barry.

Passing around a potted plant of wheat grass, Ehrlich said it symbolized the strong grass roots effort of those who pitched in to pave the way for her quest for the State House.

Ehrlich has a long history of leadership in the environmental cleanup of the Salem Power Plant and Wenham Lake; she worked with four Massachusetts governors on public policy and wrote energy environmental policy for former State Rep. Doug Petersen.

"We won Lynn for her," said Lynn Campaign Manager Bob Tucker, "despite intense opposition from Cesar Archilla. It was a tremendous victory."

Lenora Frenkel of Swampscott met Ehrlich, heard her on the issues, and declared, "I want to work for her." Frenkel would come home from work at 7:30 p.m. and begin phone calling and going out to hold signs by 8:30 p.m.

Ehrlich said Frenkel is typical of the support she has seen in the race.

"We'd put out a call that we needed people to make phone calls, and we would get 30 new faces," Ehrlich said.

 (Story link)

WE DID IT!  THANK YOU!  Now we have to do it AGAIN on March 4th.

The Primary vote count (Ehrlich v. Archilla):

Marblehead: 4008 v. 768 

Swampscott: 1749 v. 1755 and

Lynn: 457 v. 366. 

Total: Ehrlich: 6,214   Archilla: 2,889. 

 

The Salem News: Ehrlich, Blaisdell score in rep race

Boston Globe: Voters narrow field in 4 districts

The Marblehead Reporter: Clinton, Romney, Ehrlich and Blaisdell win primary victories in Marblehead

The Salem News: Ehrlich, Blaisdell advance in State Rep primary

The Swampscott Reporter: Clinton, Romney win in Swampscott, Archilla wins here but loses overall

The Lynn Item: Ehrlich, Blaisdell win 8th Essex Races

Lori's speech on Primary night:

A tribute to you, the grassroots, delivered at Sweeney's Retreat on February 5, 2008 to an enthusiastic overflow crowd:

Thank you so much. This has been such an incredible experience.

I would especially like to thank my husband, Bruce, and my two daughters for joining me on this journey. And of course, my mom, Diana Litman, for truly kicking the whole thing off!  But I especially want to thank all of you – my friends, supporters, and volunteers.  Without you we would not be celebrating today. As a first time candidate your support has been both daring for you, and humbling for me.

So, are you wondering what I’ve just set up here on the table? [I set up a row of several small pots of tall "cat grass" on the table next to the podium]  Well, what you see here is my own little tribute.  A tribute to what you ask?  A tribute to YOU:  The GRASSROOTS.

The day I kicked off my campaign I made a pledge to the 40 or so people in our living room, that I would run a grassroots campaign, but frankly, that pledge made me a little nervous. I knew full well that I couldn’t keep that pledge on my own.  It required YOU and I had faith that YOU would rise to the occasion. And YOU did.  This little row of grass and the roots that keeps it all strong and nourished is my tribute to you.

This has been a short, but vigorous campaign. For the last few months I have met so many people. We’ve spoken about everything from schools and local aid to health care and casinos. We have plenty more to discuss and I look forward to continuing the conversation.

Our grassroots campaign started with a small group of friends, neighbors, and family members and quickly blossomed into what one person described today, as we both stood in the freezing rain together holding a Lori Ehrlich sign, as "a local movement".

The point I want to make here is that this victory, while sweet, is hardly my own. It is OURS to share.

Clearly our campaign is not over, we still have another hurdle to clear.

We know our opponents, but I can again assure you that this will not be a campaign about them… or a campaign about me. This will be a campaign about us – it will be a campaign about ideas, ideas that will keep our community on the right track.

Your hard work and your vote have brought us this far on our journey, and of course we still have a bit more to go.

But for now let us celebrate a job well done!!!

 

Marblehead Reporter Endorses Lori Ehrlich for State Representative of the 8th Essex District! 

Click HERE to read more.

Excerpt: While none of the candidates have previously held an elective office, there is one who has actually been “in the arena,” to borrow a phrase from Teddy Roosevelt.

Lori Ehrlich helped found two environmental organizations, HealthLink and the Wenham Lake Watershed Association. Through these groups, she has worked with four governors and filed and tracked legislation. She has “known the triumph of high achievement” — cleaning up a water source for 80,000 people.

And yes, at times she’s failed, but at least while “daring greatly.” For example, she’s currently hoping the third time is the charm for a pending bill she authored that would close a loophole and have fly ash regulated as solid waste.

Ehrlich’s effective environmental advocacy and State House experience might be reason enough to support her, but she has since rounded out her resume by attaining a master’s in public administration from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. We also think Ehrlich will have ample opportunity to draw upon her 22 years of professional experience as a CPA at a time when financial issues are front and center for most 8th Essex District voters.

Like her competitors, Ehrlich has pledged to be accessible, but she would potentially bring an added dimension to this essential quality in a legislator. An experienced “blogger” — if you don’t know what that is, take a deep breath — Ehrlich cites the governor’s devalpatrick.com as a model she might like to adopt if elected. The point is that Ehrlich is best equipped to harness the power of Internet to have an ongoing, meaningful conversation with her constituents.

That’s an effort we’d support (and even host on our Web site, if she were elected and interested), and is just another reason why Lori Ehrlich is the right choice for Democrats next Tuesday, Feb. 5.

Salem News Endorses Lori Ehrlich for State Representative of the 8th Essex District!

On the Democratic side, our preference is for Lori Ehrlich of Marblehead. Her long history of effective environmental activism has earned her a place at the table in both the Romney and Patrick administrations. A co-founder of HealthLink, she helped turn that organization into a respected voice on issues ranging from the burning of coal at Salem Harbor Station to the Wenham Lake cleanup. Click HERE for link. 

Boston Globe (North) "Primaries for Eighth Essex seat put spotlight on local aid"

Excerpt: Ehrlich, a self-employed certified public accountant, cofounded two area environmental organizations.

She said the economy would be her key concern. "Economic issues seem to be primary in all of the communities in the district, and our municipal budgets are feeling the crush of declining revenues and escalating expenses.

"I'd like to take my 22 years of business experience and my policy advocacy and kick it up a notch," Ehrlich said. "I really want to get to the State House and make sure our collective voices are heard."

And for a fun break, here is our endorsement ad placed in the Marblehead and Swampscott Reporters

Boston Globe (North) Voters face two special House elections in Feb. 5th primary 

Excerpt: "I think voters are smart people, and while they follow national politics, they feel somewhat removed from it, so the local races are giving them a chance to feel personally connected," said Lori Ehrlich of Marblehead, who is up against Cesar Archilla of Swampscott in the Eighth Essex Democratic primary.

Lawrence R. Alexander, a Marblehead Democrat who served as state representative from 1979 to 1991, announced his support for Ehrlich in a statement issued by her campaign.

"I've been incredibly impressed by Lori's ability to get things done," Alexander said of Ehrlich, who cofounded two area environmental organizations.

"Even as a private citizen, she has one of the strongest records of accomplishment on environmental issues in the state. Imagine what she could do as our representative."

From double-debate Tuesday, January 22, 2008:

Marblehead Reporter coverage of the MHTV in studio forum: Candidates field questions at Forum 

Swampscott Reporter coverage of the combined Swampscott Board of Selectmen and School Committee forum State Rep candidate's forum

The Lynn Journal had a great front page article but the link is no longer available.

Lori's Celebrity Fundraiser on Sunday evening, January 13, 2008, featured a spillover crowd at Sweeney's Retreat of Marblehead.  People were there, of course, to support Lori, but were also treated to some very special guests. Both Lori's husband Bruce and Jan Schlichtmann, the attorney played by John Travolta in "A Civil Action", introduced her. All agreed that she's a great combination of brains, heart and spine. 

After a few inspirational words from Lori, Jim Amatucci of Beverly surprised the crowd with a "Certificate of Endorsement" from The Sierra Club (see photo below). The electricity in the room was enough to keep us powered up to the finish line.  Thank you to all who attended and offered your generous support!

 

 

 

 

 

News about the Candidate's Forum last Sunday appeared on the front page of the Swampscott Reporter, Marblehead Reporter, and The Jewish Journal. 

 Lori was introduced by Marilyn Hurwitz, Director of the Swampscott Council on Aging, as she joined the pre-bingo gang for lunch on Tuesday, JanuarySwampscott Polar Bear Plunge 8, 2008. 

Many of you probably slept off New Years festivities while nestled into your warm bed, but not Lori.  She was spotted (fully clothed) at the Polar Bear Plunge in Swampscott this morning.  According to the Swampscott Reporter's article, "Polar Bear Plunge quadruples last year's event", Fisherman's Beach was THE place to be, where attendance was quadrupled over last year. Lori is seen to the right sharing warm thoughts with polar bear friends about to take the plunge. Brrrrr. This brisk and growing tradition is all for good cause as the money raised will benefit the Swampscott High School scholarship funds set up to honor U.S. Army Spc. Jared Raymond and U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Jennifer Harris, both of whom gave their lives for the country in Iraq in the past 16 months.

Bruce and Lori Ehrlich with Keith OlbermannBruce and Lori Ehrlich stand with Keith Olbermann, special guest at the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts' 2007 Bill of Rights Dinner. This event, attended by over 700 guests, was held at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel and honored Lt. Commander Charles Swift and Georgetown Law Professor Neal Katyal, lead counsel in the groundbreaking U.S. Supreme Court case Hamdan v. Rumsfeld.  Roy Blount Jr, also contributed his wit to the festivities.


 

(Photo used with permission from the photographer, Marilyn Humphries.)

Campaign news: This week marked a number of exciting milestones. At 10:34 a.m., EST, Thursday, December 20, 2007 Lori dropped off over 200 certified signatures from the district to the Secretary of State’s Office and we’re officially ready to blaze! Mother Nature has not exactly been in sync with our field operation but the series of snow storms didn't stop us from starting to knock on doors. Many thanks to those of you who shoveled your walkways!

Boston Globe: "Two jump at chance to suceed Petersen"

Marblehead Democrat and environmental advocate Lori Ehrlich announced her candidacy Nov. 7 at King's Beach on the Swampscott-Lynn line. "I think I bring a fresh face to the Legislature and I can take a fresh look at the policy issues affecting the district," Ehrlich said in an interview. "And the State House is a very familiar place to me after 10 years of advocacy and working with four governors."

Marblehead and Swampscott Reporters: "Paster will not seek House seat" and "Political shuffle begins for Petersen's seat in the House"

The Salem News reports: "Field to succeed Petersen taking shape"

The Lynn Item reports: "Controversy surrounds race to replace departing Petersen"

Boston Globe:  Two Races for State Representative off to Fast Start

 
And from the magazine Conservation Matters from the Conservation Law Foundation in the Spring of 2003 is this story, "A Mother Grizzly from Marblehead."
 

© 2010 Lori Ehrlich for State Rep. All rights reserved.