Politics & Government

5th District Republicans Gear Up for Sept. 6 Primary

Candidates say they are ready to take on Congressman Edward Markey.

A trio of Republicans in the new fifth district are vying for the opportunity to challenge Ed Markey for his long-held seat in congress.

Voters heading to the polls for Thursday's primary in the new district will see three names on the ballot for the Republican nomination: Tom Tierney, Frank Addivinola and Jeff Semon.

Each of the three wants the chance to topple Ed Markey, a Democrat from Malden. It's a tall task -- Markey has been elected to 18 consecutive terms and has never won by less than 28 points. But his district has been re-aligned since his last election in 2010, and it has added Southborough, Ashland, Holliston, Sherborn, most of Sudbury and about half of Cambridge. The district shuffle could create an opportunity for whichever of the three Republicans wins Thursday.

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Semon Says He's the Only Candidate Who Can Give Markey a Run for His Money

For the Semon camp, the focus rests squarely on Markey -- even leading into the primary. In his view, Semon is the only Republican candidate with a shot to knock off the congressman of 36 years.

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"The question everyone should be asking themselves is, with double digit joblessness and gasoline prices double what they were when the Democrats took control of Washington, are they better off today than they were 36 years ago when Ed Markey became their Congressman? Of course the answer then is 'Absolutely - No,'" Semon said in a written statement. "I am the only candidate of the three in the primary who can give Markey a run for his money."

A business consultant and Lexington resident, Semon has focused his campaign on job growth and low taxes.

"I invite and encourage everyone in this district to compare my campaign to the others," Semon said in an emailed statement. "They will see my campaign is simply the best and I am the candidate that can clearly articulate why Republicans will do a better job at redirecting our government and restoring our economy."

Addivinola: Markey's Agenda Hurts Mass. Families, Businesses

Frank Addivinola, a lawyer from Malden, said he's feeling confident in his campaign, which has focused on contact with voters and distributing literature.

"Voters want to support a candidate with leadership experience and skills necessary to unseat the entrenched incumbent Congressman who neglected his district, moved out of the state and became a part of a political machine that promotes an ultra-liberal agenda," he said in a written statement. "This agenda hurts local families and businesses in Massachusetts, stagnates American economy, violates the founding principles of our country and diminishes our world leadership."

Tierney: No More Social Security Cuts

Tierney, an actuary consultant from Framingham, says he wants to "dead-stop any more cuts to Social Security" and tackle unemployment "head on." He previously ran for in congress in 2010, losing in the Republican primary to Gerry Dembrowski. He has been busy greeting voters leading up to the primary and participated in a debate with Semon last week, his press secratary, Phillip Petros said.

"We feel pretty confident going into the primary as we have been out and about putting up nearly 200 signs and meeting the voters of the 5th District," Petros said in an email.


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