Analysis:
Balance of Power Unchanged in State Legislature

Attrition Brings New Faces

By Curt Lovelace
November 7, 2002

The state legislature remains virtually unchanged in terms of balance of political power in the aftermath of the Nov. 5 General Election. In the last session, the Senate consisted of 34 Democrats and 6 Republicans. That number remains the same for the 2003-2004 session. The only change is the addition of Senator-Elect Jarrett Barrios (D-Cambridge), who assumes the seat vacated by failed gubernatorial candidate and former Senate President Thomas Birmingham.

In the House the numbers are also very similar to those of the last session, but there will be a few new faces. The last legislature featured 137 Democrat Representatives and 22 Republicans. Those numbers will change to 136 - 23, with the outcome of one campaign still up in the air. The race in the 3rd Barnstable District has yet to be decided. That election pitted incumbent Democrat Matthew Patrick against Republican challenger Larry Wheatley. Only 12 votes separated the two after all precincts had been counted.

Retirement, promotion to the Senate or governmental appointments provided the greatest turnover in the House. Several new districts added to this number. Only six incumbents, all Democrats, were ousted by voters, three in the Primaries and three in the General Election.

Among the missing in the House this year will be Francis Marini (R-Hanson) and John Slattery (D-Peabody). Marini was nominated for a judgeship by Gov. Jane Swift as was Rep. David Donnelly (D-West Roxbury). Slattery gave up his seat in a failed run for lieutenant governor. Rep. Michael Cahill (D-Beverly) was the Cahill who did not get elected Treasurer. Former Republican Rep. Brian Cresta got a job with the Bush administration, while former Rep. Thomas McGee (D-Lynn) and former Rep. Jack Hart (D-South Boston) both moved to the Senate along with Barrios.

Veteran Representatives not seeking reelection include Christopher Hodgkins (D-Lee), Kevin Fitzgerald (D-Boston), Paul Caron (D-Springfield) and Carol Cleven (R-Chelmsford), John Merrigan (D-Greenfield), John Locke (R-Wellesley), Cele Hahn (R-Westfield) and Nancy Flavin (D-Easthampton). Paul Tirone (D-Amesbury), Maryanne Lewis (D-Dedham), and George Rogers (D-New Bedford) were all defeated by Democrat challengers in the September primary.

New faces in the House for the next session will include Republican Jeffrey Davis Perry who defeated redistricted Democrat Ruth Provost in the 5th Barnstable District. Other challengers who defeated incumbents were Independent candidate William Lantigua, who ousted Democrat Jose Santiago in the 16th Essex District and Republican Lewis G. Evangelides who defeated incumbent David C. Bunker for the seat in the 1st Worcester District.

Other newcomers will be William Smitty Pignatelli (D-4th Berkshire), Mary E. Grant (D-6th Essex), Joyce A. Spiliotis (D-12th Essex), Barbara A. L'Italien (D-18th Essex), Donald F. Humanson (R-4th Hampden), John Skibak (D-2nd Hampshire), James B. Eldridge (D-37th Middlesex), Robert K. Coughlin (D-11th Norfolk), Alice Hanlon Peisch (D-14th Norfolk), and Susan Williams Gifford (R-2nd Plymouth).

Republicans gained one, perhaps two, seats in the legislature. They once again captured the Executive Office, with the victory of Mitt Romney and Kerry Healey. The entire US Congressional delegation remains Democrat, as does the entire eight-member Governor's Council. The Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Treasurer and State Auditor are all Democrats.

It would appear that Republicans are in for another difficult session, while they continue to scratch their collective head over what they have to do to be competitive in this Democrat-controlled political arena known as the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

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