Angelides looks to November contest

Date: 9/20/2010

Sept. 20, 2010

By Chris Maza

Reminder Assistant Editor

LONGMEADOW -- After defeating Jack Villamaino in the Sept. 14 GOP primary for the 2nd Hampden District's seat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Marie Angelides told Reminder Publications that she does not see herself as an underdog in the race against Democratic incumbent Brian Ashe.

Angelides defeated Villamaino by 284 votes, with 1192 voters -- 57 percent -- making a mark next to her name on the ballot. Ashe is coming off of his first term as state representative. He defeated Republican William Scibelli in 2008, becoming the first Democrat to represent the district in over 30 years.

"I am going up against an incumbent, but I wouldn't say I am an underdog," Angelides said from her campaign headquarters the morning after the election. "I would say that I have a long road ahead of me before the Nov. 2 election."

Angelides, who was out and about in the district with a "thank you" sign the day after winning the primary, is confident that a great number of people within the district are ready for a change in the State House of Representatives.

"There are clear differences between myself and my opponent, the incumbent [Ashe]," Angelides said. "There's a basic philosophy of representation and I am very concerned about the kind of representation the people in this district have had."

Angelides' campaign focuses greatly on reform on Beacon Hill and job growth in the private sector and she claims on her Web site that the lack of Republicans in the Legislature prevent real debate about issues within the Commonwealth.

"I think it's a conversation that people want to have right now," Angelides said. "I think a lot of people share my concern that things are not going well in Massachusetts."

Angelides credited her staff and supporters with her primary victory.

"The voters and volunteers on my campaign have been very motivated," Angelides said. "Many of them have never been involved in a campaign before, but I think the fact that they knew that things have not been going well in the state has made a lot of people very motivated for change."

While voter turnout was very low throughout Western Massachusetts, towns within the 2nd Hampden District, such as Longmeadow, showed stronger numbers and, according to Angelides, that played a big role in her success.

Angelides, a Longmeadow resident, took 76 percent of the Longmeadow vote. Longmeadow cast a total of 957 votes, 490 more than East Longmeadow, which had the second-highest turnout. Villamaino was the favored candidate in East Longmeadow, capturing 67 percent of the vote there.

"I think strong turnout within the district was very instrumental," Angelides said. "The numbers overall weren't really large, but I think they can be deceiving. I think a lot of people who normally would not have voted in an election such as this one did get out there and vote. I think there was greater motivation throughout the district to get out and vote because people want to see change."