Arthur Schaper: Frank Addivinola for US Senate (For Real)

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Friday, February 28, 2014

Arthur Christopher Schaper, GoLocalWorcester MINDSETTER™

Last week, I interviewed a long-shot US Senate candidate Mark Inman. This week, I talked with Frank Addivinola, a Boston-area small businessman, lawyer, and college instructor, who is also running for US Senate.

Hasn’t he run for office before?

Right, Addivinola ran for state senate in 2010, then he ran for the MA-5 Congressional seat 2012, but lost in the primary to a candidate who had run seven times before. He later ran for Boston council in 2013, but finished next to last. His latest run was for the special election MA-5 seat at the end of the year to replace Markey.

Willing to speak with me about his latest race for US Senate, Addivinola answered questions as clearly as they came.

About the insights he learned from prior races, Addivinola found out:

There’s a lot of voters out there who don’t feel that they are being represented. Politicians are disconnected from their concerns. In Massachusetts, the number of conservatives may not be in the majority, but they are active and vocal.

Interesting take on matters. A Rhode Island Republican shared the same view: most voters are conservative. They just don’t know it. . .yet.

Still, I pressed Addivinola on his prior losses. He claimed that he had run three times before:

I was not active in council at large. I went to no public forums. I was not active because I had submitted my signatures for the Congressional seat. After the papers were submitted, I was officially on the ballot – the seat for the congressional seat was open.

Even though he has lost three prior campaigns, the Boston businessman points out that with every race, he takes in a great percentage of the vote.

People understood the conservative values I stood for.

When I asked him why he got no support from the state party, he acknowledged that the leadership in the Massachusetts GOP wondered if he could win the district.

Addivinola had an interesting appraisal on Markey’s past victories, why he polled 75%-80% of the vote every election.

He had been there a long time, well-funded official, mobilized activists. High name recognition.

But. . .

Many seniors told me that when they wanted to meet with Markey, they told me that they could not meet with him because he was not in Massachusetts. Many seniors are concerned about Obamacare.

Instead of downplaying prior losses, Addivinola offered an upbeat perspective:

If a person has applied for a job, and does not get the job, they should either improve their skills and reapply for similar jobs, or they should change which employers they seek employment from.

Does that mean I would not be a successful employee? Not necessarily.

Each time I run, I am a much better candidate.

Regarding why Republicans have a hard time making inroads in Massachusetts, he indicated that many good Republicans run for office one time, then stop. The party needs a machine to help candidates win, too.

Switching topics, I asked Addivinola to discuss the seeming schism between social conservatives and party establishment in the Mass GOP

I was aware that there is a discussion. I have not read the particulars of the platform.

He returned the focus to his campaign. Running fiscally conservative and socially conservative, Addivinola is pro-life, but recognizes exceptions for abortion in the case of mother’s health, dangerous conditions, certain fetal conditions. He also supports medical treatment to avoid pregnancy if a woman is raped or the victim of incest.

About marriage, the candidate argued that most voters in Massachusetts believe that marriage should be between one man and one woman.

Same-sex marriage is not overwhelmingly popular in Massachusetts. Many voters believe that marriage should be included in a religious dimension in their life, and not in the government.

Then:

I believe that the government and marriage are separate and the union of two individuals through marriage should be handled by religious institutions.

Finally, someone who will campaign on marriage as a private matter entirely.

On other issues, Addivinola would repeal Obamacare, does not endorse the minimum wage, but would support tax credits for primary income earners.

Just last week, potential Senate candidate Jim Buba withdrew and endorsed Addivinola.

I am very fortunate,  he added. I had many supporters who were from other areas, not just CD-5 – my supporters are excited about being directly involved In my campaign.

Many people compliment me on being consistent on my values. I don’t change my values depending on the audience I am talking to.

About points for discrediting Senator Markey, Addivinola pointed out his unresponsiveness to voters in the Commonwealth (no kidding!), but he would focus specifically on Obamacare, illegal immigration, and government spending.

We need to have elected officials that are not concerned with special interest groups, but develop policies as a statesman.

Addivinola sounds good. Conservative credentials, consistent platform.

Election year 2014 will be a tidal wave for Republicans nationally, but can US Senate candidate Addivinola expand his ground game, unite supporters, and win the primary, then beat Markey for the US Senate seat in three-to-one Democratic Massachusetts?

This will be an interesting race.

 

Arthur Christopher Schaper is a teacher-turned-writer on topics both timeless and timely; political, cultural, and eternal. A life-long Southern California resident, Arthur currently lives in Torrance. Follow him on Twitter @ArthurCSchaper, reach him at [email protected], and read more at Schaper's Corner and As He Is, So Are We Ministries.

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