By Jake Berry
Cape Cod Times
(March 16, 2010) Nantucket voters will likely see a Democratic primary election this fall as representatives for Cape Air president Dan Wolf confirmed his plans Monday to run for the Cape and Islands' state Senate seat.
In announcing the run, Wolf became the second Democrat in as many days to declare for the race to succeed state Sen. Robert O'Leary, who is running for Massachusetts' 10th District congressional seat to be vacated by retiring U.S. Rep. William Delahunt, D-Mass.
County Commissioner Sheila Lyons, a Wellfleet Democrat, announced her candidacy Sunday for the Senate seat, and several other Democrats also are considering running. On the Republican side, Eric Steinhilber, a Barnstable real estate agent, has declared for the race.
Wolf was not available for comment yesterday. But becoming a lawmaker on Beacon Hill could help satisfy a longtime goal for the Harwich resident, who launched Cape Air in 1989, said Michelle Haynes, a company spokeswoman.
"Anybody who knows Dan Wolf knows about his interest in politics," she said yesterday. "He loves the process, and he's always been an advocate for health care and the environment, the issues that matter to the people of Cape Cod."
In addition to overseeing Cape Air, Wolf serves on a number of local and regional boards, including the Regional Airline Association, the Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank, the Association for the Preservation of Cape Cod, the Housing Assistance Corporation of Cape Cod and the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod.
With two candidates already declared, the Democratic field could grow crowded in the coming weeks. State Rep. Cleon Turner, D-Dennis, and Mark Forest, Delahunt's current chief of staff, have both expressed an interest in the Senate seat.
Turner said yesterday he has not yet made up his mind, while Forest said he had pulled signature papers last week.
Candidates must submit 300 signatures to the secretary of state's office to qualify for the September ballot.
"I think a very competitive primary can ... help to generate interest (for the party)," said Forest, who hasn't formally declared for the race. "It bodes well for a very stimulating and engaging debate in the coming months."
For more on what is shaping up to be a hotly contested race, pick up Thursday's Inquirer and Mirror. |
