By Joshua Balling
I&M Assistant Editor
Within minutes of U.S. Congressman William Delahunt’s announcement last Thursday night that he would not seek reelection, a growing field of candidates – including Cape and Islands state Sen. Robert O'Leary, a fellow Democrat – began mobilizing to challenge for his seat.
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State Sen.
Robert O'Leary |
O’Leary, 64, said early last week he would run should Delahunt choose not to, and Friday morning, he made things official. The Barnstable Democrat and history professor at Massachusetts Maritime Academy will likely face at least one other challenger in his party’s September primary, Delahunt’s successor as Norfolk County district attorney, William Keating.
“It wasn’t something I’ve necessarily been thinking about all my career, but when the opportunity presented itself, I felt it was something I wanted to try to do,” O’Leary said during an interview with The Inquirer and Mirror Monday.
“The U.S. Congress is a whole different set of issues, a much bigger fishbowl, a bigger challenge, with more complicated issues, and the seat represents a lot more people. I’m drawn to that, and in many ways, it’s a continuation of what we’re doing in the State House.”
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Congressman
William Delahunt |
Fueled in part by Scott Brown’s improbable ascension to the U.S. Senate, several Republican candidates are also mounting what for the first time in recent memory will have to be considered legitimate challenges for the 10th District seat in the November election.
Former state treasurer Joe Malone, state Rep. Jeff Perry (R-Sandwich), Cohasset sewer commissioner Ray Kasperowicz and former state Senate candidate Donald Hussey of Hingham have all declared their intention to run for the congressional seat that stretches from Quincy to the Cape and Islands. State Sen. Robert Hedlund (R-Weymouth), who was mulling a run, decided against it, saying he wants to spend more time with his infant son. Independent Peter White, who lost to Delahunt in 2006, has also indicated he will run again.
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