Candidates finding common ground with black, Latino voters as
primary draws near
Yawu Miller
At the Ward 12 Democratic Committee’s candidates forum last
week, City Council President Michael Flaherty spoke in favor of
a return to the elected school committee — a cause that blacks
voted for overwhelmingly on a 1996 city-wide ballot.
The next day Flaherty reversed his position on Boston University’s
Level 4 Biosafety lab, coming out against the federally-funded facility
where the university plans to experiment with infectious diseases.
With both issues, announced just two weeks before the preliminary
election for the city council, Flaherty has positioned himself more
solidly with the black and Latino communities that have increasingly
become a factor in the city’s electoral equation.
Flaherty is not alone in championing causes that were once the exclusive
territory of the minority members of the council. At-large Councilor
Stephen Murphy, who in 2000 angered black political activists with
a Kwanzaa joke delivered at a South Boston holiday event, has taken
a lead role in the council’s efforts to reform the Criminal
Offender Record Information Act, a fact he underscored at the Ward
12 meeting.
The Ward 12 meeting — co-sponsored by the group Roxbury VOTE
— gave the mostly white roster of at-large candidates their
best chance yet to make their pitch to voters of color. With recent
city-wide electoral victories by Councilor Felix Arroyo and Sheriff
Andrea Cabral, this year’s crop of at-large council candidates
seems more inclined to demonstrate their willingness to take the
side of people of color.
Thus, Matt O’Malley, speaking before the 50-or-so activists
who turned out for the Ward 12 meeting, underscored the fact that
he served as manager of Cabral’s successful 2004 campaign
for sheriff. His campaign literature features a photograph with
Cabral and other African American supporters and the message “One
Boston.”
Until Arroyo’s 2003 victory in the at-large race, the phrase
“One Boston” would more accurately have referred to
white Boston — South Boston and the white neighborhoods in
Dorchester, Roslindale, Hyde Park and West Roxbury — where
the majority of the votes in city elections were cast.
The new electoral reality cannot be lost on Flaherty, who is widely
rumored to be mulling a run for mayor. Arroyo came within 1,700
votes of Flaherty’s first-place finish in the 2003 at-large
race.
The council candidates’ interest in voters of color is not
new. Flaherty has consistently campaigned in communities of color,
even though Arroyo has topped the ticket in the predominantly black
wards 12 and 14 in the last two elections.
What is new is the apparent willingness of Flaherty and other candidates
to weigh in on issues that have traditionally been championed by
Arroyo and the council’s two black members, Chuck Turner and
Charles Yancey.
Whether or not those positions will translate into increased votes
for the white councilors remains to be seen. The Ward 12 Democratic
Committee voted to endorse councilors Flaherty and Arroyo as well
as challengers Matt O’Malley and Sam Yoon. The majority of
the candidates left the forum after little more than an hour to
attend a candidates’ night at St. Mark’s Church in Dorchester.
Thus the event’s host, Sarah-Ann Shaw, did not have the opportunity
to question the candidates on more divisive issues like rent control
— which has had the support of councilors of color and has
been opposed by the majority of the white councilors.
Nor were Flaherty and Murphy asked to explain their stance on the
Voting Rights Act suit the U.S. Justice Department brought against
the city alleging that Chinese and Spanish-speaking voters were
not given fair treatment at the polls. Both councilors spoke out
against calls by their colleagues of color urging the city to settle
the lawsuit, which Menino agreed to do last week.
Missing at the Ward 12 debate were Althea Garrison — who told
the Banner she would be out of town last week — and Patricia
White, who appeared at the St. Mark’s forum later that evening.
Mayoral candidate Maura Hennigan made an appearance at the Ward
12 meeting as well as at St. Mark’s, where Mayor Thomas Menino
was also in attendance. There, candidates were given a few minutes
to make their pitches to voters representing several neighborhood
associations.
While at the Ward 12 meeting, most of the white candidates spoke
of their commitment to social justice issues like the Biolab and
affordable housing, at the predominantly white St. Mark’s
meeting the candidates spoke more about their respect for the Dorchester
neighborhood, before humbly asking for one of the voters’
four at-large votes.
Arroyo kept his pitch consistent, telling the audiences in Roxbury
and Dorchester that he would approach his work on the council with
a commitment to respect and equity, before making the oft-repeated
request.
“I would really be honored if you would give me one of your
four votes in this particular election,” he said, concluding
his speech.
Arroyo is the only at-large council candidate to receive the endorsement
from all of the Democratic ward committees that have held their
endorsement meetings to date.
In addition, Arroyo received the exclusive endorsement from Ward
4 (South End & Fenway) and Ward 5 (Fenway, Back Bay & Beacon
Hill), believed to be a first for both committees. Arroyo has also
received the endorsement from Wards 9, 10, 11, 19, and 21.
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