Democratic Candidates Vie at Forum for Open Fresolo Seat

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Tuesday, July 16, 2013

GoLocalWorcester Politics Team with Kate Nagle

The Democratic candidates' forum for the 16th House seat sparked a nearly packed Ross Auditorium at Worcester Academy. The more than 250 in attendance sat for more than 90 minutes in 100-degree temperatures to hear the five Democrats face a range of questions.

Of the five Democrats vying for John Fresolo’s open seat only one even slightly varied from the Democratic playbook.  The primary election for the Democratic candidates is August 13, while the special election to fill the seat, which is vacant, is September 10.

Only one Republican is running for the seat, eliminating the need for a Republican candidates primary.

The questions posed by the Worcester Democratic Committee’s moderators ranged from issues of healthcare to homeownership to gun violence -- but as far as answers went, it was hard to tell the players apart as most played it safe and did little to differentiate themselves.

The five Democrats debating were: Dan Donahue, Khrystian King, Daniele Nanni, Jim O'Brien, and Josh Perro.

While all five candidates walked the party line, Daniele Nanni broke out of the pack with his command of complex issues, data and his ability to articulate private sector experience. Nanni consistently redirected questions back to his business experience and success. “My company was audited. Two weeks later published article in Boston Globe, my company was among four others tops in the state. Results!”

What Wasn’t Said?

There was nothing said of the previous office holder John Fresolo. He resigned the seat after an Ethics Committee review of claims of sexual harassment. None of the candidates made any mention of his tenure -- or of his demise.

What Was Most Compelling?

One of the most compelling moments of the night was when Khrystian King, who was asked about gun control, said,  "We here in Worcester have seen upsurge in violence. Personally, between my junior year in high school and sophomore year in college, I lost three friends to gun violence. I was a pallbearer in all three funerals…you don't have to question where I stand on gun control.  I'll stand on behalf of public safety.”

While King’s response was the most poignant of the evening, all of the responses seemed scripted. Maybe it was the heat, or it was a reluctance to step on one another’s toes, but many of the responses to questions sounded like they had been written by speech writers -- and the weaker responses sounded more like junior high president candidate's speeches.  

The Organizers

Worcester Academy sponsored the event in partnership with the Worcester Democratic City Committee, along with Oak Hill Community Development Corporation, the Initiative for Engaged Citizenship, and the Central Mass. AFL-CIO.

The forum was moderated by Candy Mero-Carlson and David LeBoeuf, who did a strong job keeping the event running on time. LeBoeuf was once thought to be a front-runner for the seat, but bowed out.

Ross Auditorium is located in the historic Lewis J. Warner Memorial Theater on the school’s Providence Street campus.
 

Related Articles

• EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Fresolo’s Opponent Drops Out of Race
• Elected Officials Unwilling to Speak Out on Fresolo Allegations
• Fresolo Investigation: How Transparent is MA Government?
• NEW: Representative Fresolo Resigns
• NEW: State Rep. John Fresolo Under Investigation for Explicit Photos
• BREAKING: Facebook Page Created Calling for Rep. Fresolo to Resign

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