Annual Sheriff’s Picnic is a dizzying political mosh pitDate: 8/23/2022 SPRINGFIELD – Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi’s annual picnic drew huge crowds on Aug. 17 and a steady stream of elected officials and candidates for both local and statewide office.
The picnic is a tradition started years ago by former Sheriff Mike Ashe as a fundraiser, and one that Cocchi has continued. The event grew into a unique political event with candidates using it as a campaign stop.
The grounds of the Springfield Elks Lodge were filled with people involved or interested in politics as well as mayors, school committee members, city councilors and many more.
It’s a place to see and to be seen.
For candidates this is an opportunity to garner additional support, whether it’s volunteers or donations.
And for area press, it’s a singular opportunity to talk to a great number of candidates. It’s not unlike the old saw of shooting fish in a barrel. Among those spotted were two gubernatorial candidates – one Republican and one Democrat – two lieutenant governor hopefuls, two people vying for attorney general, two candidates for state auditor, two people for a state Senate seat, and two candidates for a House seat, among others. There were undoubtedly more whom this reporter missed in the crowds.
For some races, the picnic was part of a last push to the primary. For others, a key stop on the road to November.
The picnic is a political mosh pit, minus the crowd-surfing.
Reminder Publishing and Focus Springfield teamed up once more for a series of interviews of as many of the candidates as possible in the effort to present additional information about them.
There was general consensus in front of the microphones. The majority of candidates believe the troubles of the MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority) can be fixed as the development of east-west rail continues and that the closing of multiple lines of the MBTA should not distract the commonwealth from the other rail projects.
The statewide candidates all pledged to do more to help Western Massachusetts achieve equity with the greater Boston area in terms of funding and access to services. Maintaining reproduction rights was also a common theme.
One alliance was seen at the event, as Attorney General Maura Healey – the Democratic candidate for governor – was with the woman she has endorsed to succeed her, Andrea Campbell. Campbell worked for a nonprofit that provided free legal services concerning education. She was the deputy legal counsel to Gov. Deval Patrick and served as a member of the Boston City Council.
Both candidates wanted to be interviewed together. Campbell, speaking about regional equity, said she would increase the number of offices of the attorney general in order for more parts of the state to have access to the services of the office.
Campbell said that people have told her that inflation and possible price-gouging is on their minds, as well as housing issues, reproductive rights and substance abuse.
When asked if reproductive rights are secured in Massachusetts, Campbell said, “We’re blessed we live in Massachusetts. The short answer is ‘yes.’”
She added that crisis pregnancy centers in the commonwealth “are putting out a lot of misinformation” when it comes to reproductive rights.
Healey agreed with Campbell about the rights that have been secured and added there are women coming to Massachusetts now to access care.
“Massachusetts needs to step up and be a helper state for women,” Healey said.
On east-west rail, Healey corrected this reporter with a smile and said, “It’s west-east rail.” She said she supports the plan for new commuter rail service.
Healey said her administration would support the construction of a new courthouse in Western Massachusetts. “Absolutely we need to make sure our courthouses and all of our workplaces are safe,” she said.
As far as the lieutenant governor race goes, Healey did not express a preference among the three Democrats who are running. “I think I’m leaving this one to the voters. We have a field of great candidates. I respect them all, I’ve worked with them all.” She added she would be a great partner with whichever candidate is elected.
When asked about the effort to have access to broadband, especially in rural areas, Healey said that would be a priority. Growing up in rural New Hampshire, ‘I believe in a rural economy. I believe we need an intentional effort in the next administration to work in the Legislature advancing a rural economy and an agenda.”
The other Democrat in the attorney general’s (AG) race is Shannon Liss-Riordan, an attorney who emphasized that “I have the experience. I’m the only one in this race who is an actual practicing lawyer. I’ve run a law firm. I have spent more than 23 years fighting in the courts and winning for working people. I’ve taken on some of the largest corporations in America and I’ve won.”
Speaking about regional equity, she said if elected she would be coming to Western Massachusetts and added she would consider adding more regional offices. She also pledged to conduct office hours here “so the folks can talk to me about what they’d like to see the AG’s office do.”
She said the Roderick Ireland Court House in Springfield should be closed and a new courthouse built.
There are two Republicans running in the primary for their party’s nomination as governor: Chris Doughty and Geoff Diehl. Both men have been coming to Western Massachusetts to campaign, but Diehl was the only one to attend the picnic.
Diehl, a small business owner and a former state representative, said the state’s economy is on peoples’ minds. “The fact that inflation is starting to harm them, the cost of food,” he noted.
Also, people are concerned about vaccine mandates. “A lot of people are afraid that kids are going to be forced to get the vaccine when it’s still untested. State workers who were fired or took a retirement early because of that, they felt that wasn’t right. So, on day one I want to rehire those workers back to their state jobs.”
He said law enforcement in general is also a concern of the voters with whom he has spoken.
“The whole defund-the-police [movement], thankfully we seem to be coming out of that, the whole getting rid of qualified immunity,” Diehl said. “It’s hard right now to recruit people into law enforcement, even corrections officers. So as governor I want to make sure we send the right message that law enforcement is really there to help your communities. Having school resource officers is important to provide safety and guidance to keep kids away from drugs”
He also noted the increase in opioid-related deaths coming out of the coronavirus pandemic and solutions for that would also be a focus of his administration.
Diehl said he is in support of east-west rail, noting he and his wife used public transit for years when they lived in New York. “I totally think a strong network of public transportation around our state is one of the keys in alleviating the housing issue,” he said. He also believes the repairs and reforms needed by the MBTA should not affect people in Western Massachusetts.
“I’ll be a governor beyond the [I-]495 interests that always suck the resources into the city [Boston],” he asserted.
You can see those interviews in their entirety at the Focus Springfield YouTube page or on the Facebook page for Focus Springfield. Reminder Publishing’s Facebook page will also feature the link.
Besides the candidates already mentioned in this story there are state senate candidates Sydney Levin-Epstein, state Rep. Jake Oliveira and William Johnson; state auditor candidates state Sen. Diana DiZoglio, and Chris Dempsey; Governor’s Council candidates attorneys Michael Fenton and Jeffrey Morneau; state rep candidates Aaron Saunders and Chip Harrington; lieutenant governor candidates Mayor Kim Driscoll and state Sen. Eric Lesser; Congressional candidate Dean Martilli; and Springfield Ward 5 City Council candidates Lavar Click-Bruce and Edward Collins.
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