Political News and Analysis for Independent Massachusetts Voters
4th Congressional – Barney Frank, Earl Sholley, Sean Bielat
Frank calls out his opponents including the Herald, by name – and the Herald has a reaction:
Newspapers live for moments like the one Barney Frank gave us on election night. To be called out – by name – by a 30-year incumbent. It doesn’t get any better than that.
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Margery Eagan at the Herald says Brookline may be trending a little more toward Bielat than expected:
Oh my God, could bluer than blue Brookline — the capital of Moonbat-istan — be breaking for Republican Sean Bielat?
For 25 years I’ve lived in Brookline, where Republicans admit they’re Republicans at their own risk. Yet I haven’t seen so many lawn signs for a Republican since a few courageous matrons put a “Weld for Governor” placard on their lawn in 1990 and paid the price: social suicide. They were promptly shunned at Whole Foods. Their poor children sat alone in the cafeteria.
It says something huge about Barney Frank’s fall from grace that a few brave Brookline-ites are ready, again, to risk their neighbors’ wrath.
Over 150,000 plays since Friday – not bad for an internet viral.
Sean Bielat
Polls are showing that Sean Bielat is surprisingly viable. He’s polling within 10 points of Frank, and leading 51% to 34% among independents. Frank has been in office a long time, and is beloved by progressives but reviled by conservatives and increasingly by independents. As a known quantity, like Patrick, his poll numbers are not likely to improve. The question is if Bielat is going to be able to make himself known to voters in time.
Conservatives nationally are noticing. There is a great article about Bielat at CFIF:
Never before has Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) faced such a serious challenge from a Republican of any stripe, let alone one who is pro-business and pro-military. If the tax-and-spend liberal stalwart gets swept away in the GOP tsunami barreling towards Democrat-controlled Washington, D.C. this November, supporters of limited government everywhere will have Sean Bielat to thank.
Tags: 4th Congressional District, Barney Frank, Massachusetts, Sean Bielat
Sean Bielat
Today, Sean Bielat, candidate for Massachusetts’ Fourth Congressional District, released the details of a survey that shows support for Barney Frank in the district has dipped below 50% in the head-to-head contest with Bielat. According to the poll, Frank leads Bielat by just ten points, with 48% favoring Frank and 38% supporting Bielat. Those who are undecided make up 13% of the poll. Notably, Independents support Bielat over Frank by the wide margin of 51% to 34%.
“People are sick and tired of Washington and career politicians. That’s why Barney Frank’s poll numbers are dropping like a rock and why he’s taking desperate measures like bringing in Bill Clinton to campaign for him,” said Bielat responding to the poll results. “National support is snowballing and our campaign and supporters are more enthusiastic than ever. It shows what we’ve known all along: we are on track to replace an entrenched politician who’s been part of the problem for years.”
Tags: 4th Congressional District, Barney Frank, Massachusetts, Sean Bielat
The Plymouth County GOP held a straw poll last night that gives us some insight into a number of Plymouth County Republican primaries.
Not a lot of surprises here, but except maybe how lopsided some of the results were. Results after the jump.
Tags: 10th Congressional District, 12th Plymouth R, 4th Congressional District, 5th Plymouth Representative District, 9th Congressional District, Ben Quelle, Earl Sholley, Jared Valanzola, Jeff Perry, Joe Malone, Joseph Truschelli, Kamal Jain, Keith Lepor, Korey Welch, Mary Connaughton, Plymouth Norfolk & Bristol Senate District, Ray Kasperowicz, Richard Livingston, Robert Burr, Robert Hayden, Sean Bielat, State Auditor, Vernon Harrison
By reversing himself on Fannie and Freddie, has Frank given his critics a political gift?
On Tuesday, in an interview with Niel Cavuto, Barney Frank made an amazing statement:
“I hope by next year we’ll have abolished Fannie and Freddie. It was a great mistake to push lower-income people into housing they couldn’t afford and couldn’t really handle once they had it. I had been too sanguine about Fannie and Freddie.”
Frank has for years been a strong supporter for Fannie Mae, Freddy Mac and affordable housing programs.
The Bielat campaign wasted no time in capitalizing on Frank’s remarkable reversal, making an ad contrasting Frank’s previous statements. The video has been getting a lot of play for an online campaign ad – over sixteen thousand views in just a few days.
Tags: 4th Congressional District, Barney Frank, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Herb Moses, Massachusetts, Sean Bielat
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