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Neal endorses fellow Congressman Capuano

Date: 11/16/2009

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor



SPRINGFIELD -- Congressman Richard Neal hopefully gave an edge last Tuesday to one of the candidates in the crowded field of contenders trying to fill the Senate seat left by the late Edward Kennedy.

Neal announced his support for fellow Massachusetts Democrat Congressman Michael Capuano at the Pioneer Valley Life Science Institute (PVLSI).

Neal described Capuano as "a skilled legislator and a successful mayor who has a vision for real job creation."

The former mayor of Somerville, Capuano has been in the House of Representatives for 11 years. Neal made the announcement at the PVLSI because Capuano is a supporter of biotechnology and has six teaching hospitals in his congressional district.

Neal's endorsement follows those from other Massachusetts members of Congress, including Reps. Barney Frank and John Olver, as well as a number of Western Massachusetts elected officials including State Reps. Cheryl Coakley-Rivera, Brian Ashe and Angelo Puppolo and State Sens. Gale Candaras and Stephen Buoniconti.

According to his Web site, Capuano, like Neal, voted against the resolution authorizing the use of force in Iraq. He opposed the Patriot Act and he is a co-sponsor of H.R. 104, which would establish a national commission on presidential war powers and civil liberties.

On environmental issues, Capuano has supported the Climate Stewardship Act to create a cap and trade system and reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as the SAFE Climate Act to freeze 2010 emissions at 2009 levels, gradually lowering the targets to reduce emissions below 1990 levels.

While some polls have Attorney General Martha Coakley as the front runner, Capuano said he doesn't mind being the underdog and as he has been in other elections.

"I think voters not only want a senator to follow Ted Kennedy, but also someone who can get things done," he said.

Neal said the special election for Dec. 8 has created "a very unusual race" that will be won by the candidate with the best organization and most motivated supporters.

"This is short sprint to see who Ted's successor is going to be," Neal added.

Because of the brief time frame of the campaign Capuano said he knows he will not be able to meet as many voters as he would like and said he needs to campaign through debates and other forums.

Capuano praised the PVLSI and said the traditional forms of manufacturing will not be coming back to the state; instead, the state's future is with fields such as biotechnology.

"Scientific research is the future of the Commonwealth," he said.

Dr. Paul Friedmann, the executive director of the PVLSI, and Dr. Larry Schwartz, the science director of the institute, gave the two congressmen a quick tour of the facility.

Capuano also noted the importance of the private and public sector collaboration between Baystate Medical Center and the University of Massachusetts that created the PVLSI.

When asked if he would consider the needs of Western Massachusetts if elected to the Senate, Capuano said the attitude of being overlooked is prevalent in many other parts of the state. He explained that Neal would not endorse someone who wouldn't be working for Western Massachusetts.