Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Dave Gravel was the third place finisher to represent the 12th Essex District in the House of Representatives.
Unenrolled candidate Dave Gravel thanked supporters after his defeat on Tuesday night in the 12th Essex District race, telling them he had more campaign volunteers this year than ever before. "There is not one thing I would change today that we did," Gravel said, recognizing the letter of support from former Peabody first lady Jackie Torigian. "The hard part of losing in not the loss, it is the disappointment you feel inside for the people who put it all out for you," he said during an election evening party at the Knights of Columbus on Main Street. Gravel arrived to a room full of of supporters at about 8:30 p.m., rounding the room with hugs for many of those in attendance before conceding. "Sometimes you have to accept that when you put…
Leah Cole, a virtually unknown GOP candidate until now, beat her Democratic and unenrolled opponents Tuesday to claim the seat formerly occupied by the late Joyce Spiliotis.
A Republican will once again represent Peabody on Beacon Hill. That's the shocking outcome of Tuesday's special election in the 12th Essex District. There were three candidates vying for the seat left open by the death of Joyce Spiliotis last year. Republican Leah Cole, who is new to politics and was a longshot candidate until recently, scored a major upset and garnered 35 percent of the vote over 34 percent that went to Democrat Beverley Griffin Dunne and 31 percent for unenrolled candidate Dave Gravel. According to the City Clerk's office, total voter turnout was 20 percent or 5,351 out of 26,730 registered voters in the district. Before the clerk's office confirmed those numbers shortly before 9 p.m., Dunne told Peabody Patch the 73-…
Monday, April 1, 2013
Here's your local guide to the State Representative special election on April 2.
Peabody holds its special election Tuesday to determine the city's next representative on Beacon Hill. In the 12th Essex District, which represents Ward 1 through 4 and Precinct 1 and 3 in Ward 5, there are three candidates vying for the seat left open by the death of Joyce Spiliotis last year. Republican Leah Cole, who defeated Greg Bunn in a party primary last month, now goes toe-to-toe with Democrat Beverley Griffin Dunne and unenrolled candidate Dave Gravel. Gravel will appear on Tuesday's ballot as an Independent, says City Clerk Tim Spanos. The March 5 primary saw just a 6 percent turnout with Dunne claiming the most votes -- 606, while Cole narrowly edged Bunn out of the running, 512-460. As an unenrolled candidate, Gravel did not …
42.515894
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Aviv Centers for Living
240 Lynnfield St, Peabody, MA
/articles/who-s-who-and-where-to-vote-in-state-rep-special-election
774196
/locations/9137784
42.50865
-70.95014
Saint Ann's
136 Lynn St, Peabody, MA
/articles/who-s-who-and-where-to-vote-in-state-rep-special-election
774220
/locations/9137785
42.545921
-70.994554
Kiley Brothers Memorial School
21 Johnson St, Peabody, MA
/articles/who-s-who-and-where-to-vote-in-state-rep-special-election
775221
/locations/9137787
42.5344
-70.919019
50 Walsh Ave, Peabody, MA
/articles/who-s-who-and-where-to-vote-in-state-rep-special-election
/locations/9137788
42.533765
-70.927819
15a Wilson Ter, Peabody, MA
/articles/who-s-who-and-where-to-vote-in-state-rep-special-election
/locations/9137789
42.519322
-70.932595
William A. Welch Sr. Elementary School
50 Swampscott Ave, Peabody, MA
/articles/who-s-who-and-where-to-vote-in-state-rep-special-election
1733435
/locations/9137790
42.529729
-70.9355
J. Henry Higgins Middle School
1 King St, Peabody, MA
/articles/who-s-who-and-where-to-vote-in-state-rep-special-election
1733441
/locations/9137791
42.541929
-70.975004
Peabody Veterans Memorial High School
485 Lowell St, Peabody, MA
/articles/who-s-who-and-where-to-vote-in-state-rep-special-election
1733457
/locations/9137792
42.539672
-71.003018
John E. McCarthy Memorial School
76 Lake St, Peabody, MA
/articles/who-s-who-and-where-to-vote-in-state-rep-special-election
1756661
/locations/9137793
42.514418
-70.948977
South Memorial School
16 Maple Street Ext, Peabody, MA
/articles/who-s-who-and-where-to-vote-in-state-rep-special-election
1756680
/locations/9137794
42.552536
-70.967071
Brooksby Village
100 Brooksby Village Dr, Peabody, MA
/articles/who-s-who-and-where-to-vote-in-state-rep-special-election
2027527
/locations/9137786
Sunday, March 31, 2013
The sharpest exchanges in this week's 12th Essex state representative debate were about the fundraising success of the GOP candidate — and that her money is coming mostly from outside the Tanner City.
Campaign donations — and where they came from — provided the most electric moments of Wednesday's debate among the three candidates hoping to represent Peabody on Beacon Hill. The Republican candidate, political newcomer Leah Cole, has turned in some impressive fundraising numbers. Her opponents, Democrat Beverley Griffin Dunne and independent Dave Gravel, were quick to point out that most of the money has come from people outside Peabody. "Unlike you, I don't take PAC money," Gravel said during one exchange. Cole had asked him to explain his reticence to raise taxes while being endorsed by the Mass. Teachers Association, which supports the governor's tax plan. "I don't get my money from Marlborough. I get my money from Peabody, from our …
42.526272
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Peabody City Hall
24 Lowell St, Peabody, MA
/articles/debate-flash-point-campaign-money-from-outside-peabody
775596
/locations/9136006
Thursday, March 28, 2013
A number of prominent local politicians and other political party figures are throwing their support behind the candidates in the three-way race for State Representative.
[Editor's Note: This article has been updated to include campaign endorsements released for each candidate since this article was first published.] The special election is now just a few days away and a number of endorsements have rolled in for the three candidates in the race for State Representative to fill the vacancy left by the death of Joyce Spiliotis in November. Dave Gravel City councilor Dave Gravel, who is running as an independent, has focused more on publicizing individual endorsements over the past couple weeks, which would appear to demonstrate a broad base of support across the city. Those endorsements come from Peabody politicians -- fellow councilor Tom Gould, former councilors Fred Murtagh and Mary Waselchuk and former …
Who did you think shined the most in Wednesday night's debate between the candidates for State Representative in the 12th Essex District?
[Editor's Note: The article has been updated to reflect a correction on one of the panelists' names.] The three candidates for State Representative in Peabody traded a few jabs Wednesday night in a debate at City Hall sponsored by the Salem News and the Peabody Area Chamber of Commerce. In particular, the debate became more heated when the subject of campaign finances came up. Republican Leah Cole turned her answer to a question into another question to Dave Gravel, who is unenrolled, asking how he could say he's reticent to raise taxes when he's politically supported by the Mass. Teachers Association, a big proponent of the governor's spending plan. Gravel retorted that he's the first non-Democrat to be endorsed by the union and that the …
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Tune in to the debate at City Hall tonight between the three candidates for State Representative for the 12th Essex District.
The three candidates for State Representative debate tonight at Peabody City Hall in a forum sponsored by the Salem News and the Peabody Area Chamber of Commerce. The debate gets underway at 7 p.m.
Campaign finance reports were filed this week by each of the candidates in the special election race for Peabody's next state representative.
When it comes to how much money the candidates raised over the past three months, it would appear a Republican has a good shot at representing Peabody on Beacon Hill again. Another round of campaign finance reports were filed this week by the three candidates vying to become the city's next state representative and the numbers show political newcomer Leah Cole out-raised both of her well-established opponents in the race in the days leading up to the April 2 special election. But then again, nearly all of her money has come from outside Peabody. Cole, a 24-year-old Republican in her first bid for elected office, raised $18,694 between Feb. 16 and March 15, compared to $16,068 by Dave Gravel, who is unenrolled, and just $2,090 by Democrat …
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Cole, Dunne and Gravel will debate March 27 (7 p.m.) at Peabody City Hall. Watch it live here and engage with other readers via a live chat.
Leah Cole, Beverley Griffin Dunne and Dave Gravel, who are vying to become Peabody's next state representative, will lock horns in debate at City Hall March 27 (7 p.m.) and you can watch it live here on Peabody Patch if you can't make it downtown or don't have cable. We'll also be running a live chat at the same time so readers can share their thoughts on the debate and the election in general. Just check back to our homepage Wednesday evening to find the live feed and chat. The debate is sponsored by the Salem News and the Peabody Area Chamber of Commerce and will be moderated by Salem News Editor David Olson. Peabody Access Telecommunications will be streaming Wednesday's debate online and we are able to embed the live feed right here as…
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Peabody City Hall
24 Lowell St, Peabody, MA
/articles/watch-peabody-s-state-rep-debate-live-on-patch
775596
/locations/9082743
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Peabody's local Democratic committee is expected to formally support Beverley Griffin Dunne, a registered Democrat, this week in her bid for State Representative.
Unlike Dave Gravel, Beverley Griffin Dunne hasn't been rolling out political endorsements in the days leading up to the April 2 special election, although she is expected to receive the support of the city's Democratic Committee. New chairman Michael Schulze tells the Salem News the committee will be endorsing Dunne for State Representative of the 12th Essex District at a committee meeting on Wednesday. Schulze acknowledged there may be little ideological difference between Dunne and Gravel and some local committee may still want to vote for Gravel, despite the endorsement. He said the committee, however, has to support a registered party member. Until a couple years ago, Gravel was a lifelong Democrat, but is now unenrolled with the …
David MacDonald
8:38 pm on Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Excellent point, every politician is a first time politician at some point in their career, and her nursing skills make come in handy on the floor of the House with all those lifers up there....I really hope she does well, there are not many Republicans to buddy up with, but a smile may open some doors, and a fresh face will have the interns talking. Good Luck Leah, make our city proud. more ›