The Sentinel & Enterprise endorses the following cancidates in Tuesday's contested primary elections:
State Treasurer
Steve Murphy has relished his role as the outsider in this race. He was the chief operating officer at his own business, met a payroll and paid out health-insurance benefits. He understands the challenge of making ends meet by keeping a sharp eye on the bottom line. Later, he employed his financial acumen as a state Senate budget analyst before winning election to the Boston City Council and embracing the top fiscal watchdog role.
State Auditor
Democrat: Although Mike Lake lacks experience in Massachusetts politics, that's exactly what makes his candidacy so attractive to us. This product of the Melrose public schools who was raised in a single-parent household knows the value of a dollar, and will bring that fiscal responsibility to the auditor's office. As a Northeastern University student working his final co-op job in the Clinton White House, he impressed his bosses enough to be hired on full-time after his co-op was over.
Republican: Mary Z. Connaughton is running to put a professional in a job that has been held by a popular politician for 24 years. She's the only certified public accountant in the race, and her public-sector stints, first as chief financial officer of the Massachusetts State Lottery and later as a member of the Turnpike Authority's board of directors, have honed her reformist attitudes.
U.S. Congress, 5th District
Jon Golnik has a serious message, and he is the lone voice of four GOP rivals seeking this seat who is consistently delivering it: Washington is out of control and ruining America's future right before our eyes. A small-businessman from Carlisle, Golnik is focusing on deficit reduction, believing a federal government that spends less will tax less and ultimately create a climate for more jobs.
Worcester County Sheriff
The Democratic primary for sheriff has drawn two strong candidates, one with a law-enforcement background and one with a correctional background. That's why Scot Bove, assistant deputy superintendent of the maximum security section at the Worcester County House of Correction gets our support. His experience in the system will allow him to hit the ground running and act on his agenda to save taxpayer dollars, deport illegal immigrants in the system, develop programs to target at-risk teenagers and begin a community service program for inmates nearing the end of their prison terms.
State representative
First Middlesex Democrat (district includes Townsend): Anthony Saboliauskas gets a slight edge in a three-way race with similar-thinking Democrats. The Pepperell resident takes a different tack on aiding the economy: help consumers first and in turn they'll provide the impetus to revive businesses and create jobs. He believes middle-class workers and families are neglected on Beacon Hill, much to the state's own deterioration, and wants to change the focus. Saboliauskas wants to review all state agencies for cost savings and endorses casino gaming.
First Middlesex Republican: Cornelius "Connie" Sullivan is a true conservative when it comes to taxation. He believes increases in the state's alcohol and sales taxes during the recession have done more harm in driving businesses and jobs out of Massachusetts than stabilizing government revenues. He backs the sales-tax rollback to 3 percent, saying the "cry wolf" era on Beacon Hill has to end and rigid spending priorities put in place.
Second Worcester Democrat (district includes Ashburnham and Ashby): Gardner City Councilor Patrick Gerry gets the nod because as a small business owner he will work to make sure Beacon Hill does everything it can to attract and keep entrepreneurs who will help put people back to work. He also supports a rollback of the state income tax to 5 percent and will work to reform state government so it is more efficient and cost-effective. And we believe he will fight the hardest to make sure his communities get every penny they deserve in local aid.
