So who is Marie St. Fleur?

Why does Reilly want to name his running mate so much? (0.00 / 0)

I thought that in MA, the Lt Governor was chosen independently from the Governor.

After the Gabrielli's fiasco, you may wonder why he is so intent in trying that again?

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by: FrenchGirlFromMA @ Mon Jan 30, 2006 at 14:00:12 PM CST

Good question (0.00 / 0)

I'm really not sure why Reilly sees such a big advantage to him in naming a running mate.  In any case, in the primaries, you can vote for whoever you want - in other words, even if Reilly has said that St. Fleur is "his running mate," you can still vote for Reilly and, say, Tim Murray.  And if Murray wins, he's the candidate, and in the general election the Dem ticket would be Reilly/Murray.  The first time a Gov and LtGov candidate tried to run as a ticket in the primaries was Weld/Cellucci in 1990 - and they had to go to the SJC to get permission to campaign jointly because the state campaign finance people didn't want to allow it.  Since then, it's been a pretty popular maneuver - Romney chose Healey in the primaries even though Jim Rappaport was also running and was the favorite of the party insiders.  I don't recall offhand whether O'Brien and Gabrieli campaigned together in the primaries - anyone remember?

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by: David @ Mon Jan 30, 2006 at 14:04:20 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Response to Question (0.00 / 0)

Shannon O'Brien and Chris Gabrieli campaigned very closely together during the primary.  They were for all intents and purposes one campaign, once the decision was made to run together.  There was some ramp up. 

Kate Donaghue, volunteer.

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by: Kate @ Mon Jan 30, 2006 at 14:15:34 PM CST

[ Parent ]

He wants to get attention (0.00 / 0)

That could be most of the story. And, he is getting it, and underlining his role as front runner.

BMG: Reality-based commentary.

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by: Bob Neer @ Mon Jan 30, 2006 at 14:14:32 PM CST

He is the AG (0.00 / 0)

If he wants attention, he's got plenty of was to get it.  As the attorney general, there are a myriad of ways he can earn media.  This whole bungled process -- first Gabrieli, now second choice St. Fleur -- unfolding on the second-to-last possible day a statewide candidate can announce does nothing to inspire confidence.

Yes, it's true, come September (heck, come mid-February) no one will remember this specific incident, but it just adds to the background noise.  I'm increasingly convinced that this background noise is what wins elections, not positions on issues.

.08 Acres
.0000016% of Massachusetts Political Commentary

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by: sco @ Mon Jan 30, 2006 at 14:22:35 PM CST

[ Parent ]

neither (0.00 / 0)

Neither of those are what wins elections, mostly.  They both play a secondary role, in that they motivate the activists who may contribute to winning elections, if they get involved.  Some activists do, some don't.

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by: Cos @ Mon Jan 30, 2006 at 14:33:33 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Hello? (0.00 / 0)

"I'm really not sure why Reilly sees such a big advantage to him in naming a running mate. "

She's a black woman. He thinks he's undercutting Deval Patrick's black base and any women that may be thinking of voting for the current Lt. Governor. What advantage? All the advantage in the world going into the caucuses.

If the perception in this race is that Reilly is boring white male against an inspirational black male liberal and a conservative white woman, voters will be more inclined to look at the face of his decision, not the backstory in January. So Gabrieli didn't want to be on the ticket. I dare you to go to a crowded parking lot and ask how many people know about it.

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by: afertig @ Mon Jan 30, 2006 at 15:27:03 PM CST

Marie St. Fleur is... (0.00 / 0)

the lead House sponsor of the Homeownership Investment Act which will further regulate high-cost mortgage lenders like Ameriquest (just to connect to another issue that got some play on this site recently).  It will be interesting to see how this issue, in particular, may play out given the Reilly/Patrick sparring of last week.

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by: tc @ Mon Jan 30, 2006 at 15:27:03 PM CST

St. Fleur's seat? (0.00 / 0)

This now means that her state rep seat is up for grabs, correct?

So much for Team Reilly believing in democracy and letting the voters choose the Lt. Governor.

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by: Kyle R. @ Mon Jan 30, 2006 at 15:27:09 PM CST

open seat (0.00 / 0)

You're absolutely right, Kyle, can't run for two posts at once.

This I also know:

1) If Althea Garrison is still in the district, she'll probably run again, held the seat for one term before Charlotte Richie beat her.

2) A lot of social service advocates and others will miss Marie's advocacy in leadership and on Ways and Means Committee.

H.

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by: howardjp @ Mon Jan 30, 2006 at 15:44:49 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Howard, (0.00 / 0)

if you have more to share about St. Fleur's leadership on those issues, please do so!  I really mean it when I say I don't know much about her.  Thanks!

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by: David @ Mon Jan 30, 2006 at 15:46:32 PM CST

[ Parent ]

St. Fleur (0.00 / 0)

She has been an effective bridge to the leadership for many who would not have access to leadership otherwise.  She's been a leader on the in-state tuition issue, she took the lead on revising the charter school tuition formula to tie reimbursements to grade levels, I don't know that she has a long public record of legislation, but she's been "in the room" when decisions are made and that's helped a lot of people who need government on their side.  Just talk to the advocates for non-profits on the Hill.

I say this as one who respects her greatly and wishes her well personally, the ticket and the race aside, she'll be missed in the Legislature.

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by: howardjp @ Mon Jan 30, 2006 at 16:22:43 PM CST

[ Parent ]

St. Fleur (0.00 / 0)

I know Rep St. Fleur from my time in the State House.

She is extremely smart, I believe she graduated from BC Law school, but in terms of Legislation she is very hands on and engaged with many issues.

But the first thing I thought when I heard this news is that she is tough as nails, which is often seen as very abrasive.  So I am interested to see how she plays in the public eye.  S. O'Brien was unfairly attacked for being mean and the B-word and I can see the same thing happening to St. Fleur.  (I hope not, but I am a worrier)

She was rumored to be Speaker DiMasi's selection for the powerful House Ways and Means chairman and insiders in the building did not take well to that idea, because she is not one of the good ol boys and is so tough and outspoken.

Note, I like this woman alot.  She is extremely smart and talented.  I don't know her background, but I know she has an amazing singing voice, a great laugh and is a very passionate speaker and a real progressive.

I thought she was eyeing a future run for mayor, but clearly this is a great offer to advance your career.  If it doesn't work out, the Boston mayor thing can be there later.

Do I think it helps Reilly?  I don't know, because of the timing, Gabrelli and the full field of talented candidates.

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by: Rex @ Mon Jan 30, 2006 at 16:22:32 PM CST

What happens if: (0.00 / 0)

Reilly loses and St. Fluer wins?  Is the Mass electorate ready for an all black ticket?

Reilly wins and Murray wins?  We’ve got two white Irish polls running against a woman?

As I’ve said before, this was an optional move for Reilly with lots of down-side and very little up side. Life is a gamble and this is a big one.

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by: FrankSkeffington @ Mon Jan 30, 2006 at 18:09:30 PM CST

Marie St. Fleur on the Mass Scorecard (0.00 / 0)

Thanks to progressive activists led by Jesse Gordon and Progressive Democrats of Somerville, we have a resource on the web that lets us look at some of the important votes of the 2003-2004 MA House and Senate, and how each legislator voted: the Mass Scorecard.  Here's the Scorecard page for Marie St. Fleur.

The Scorecard was originally intended as a way to compare legislators' voting records to the Massachusetts State Democratic Party Platform, so it codes each vote as red or green to show whether, in the opinion of the committee, that vote was in opposition to or support of the relevant plank of the party platform at the time.  It also includes links to the relevant planks of the platform so you can judge for yourself.  But even if you don't care about the Democratic Party platform, it's the most comprehensive accessible resource for Massachusetts legislative voting records.

Of the 26 votes tracked by the Scorecard, St. Fleur skipped two, and voted inconsistent with the party platform four times:

• Against allowing a municipal means tax (a way for cities to more flexibly raise revenue locally, instead of relying on property taxes exclusively)
  
• Against the charter school cap (with the current funding formula, charter schools drain funds from regular public schools, but don't allow all students to attend - she voted for a 3-year moratorium in 2003, but against the veto override in 2004)
  
• For extending the corporate tax credit for 5 years
  
• Against raising the income tax to 5.95%

She voted for all the other veto overrides on the list, against the marriage amendment, and for restoring several funding cuts.  The Scorecard page includes links to summaries of the relevant votes, so dig there for more detail.

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by: Cos @ Mon Jan 30, 2006 at 20:01:52 PM CST

meals tax (0.00 / 0)

I thought it strange that St Fleur would have voted against the meals tax, so I clicked through and she was actually a "y" vote in favor, as was most of the Boston delegation.  A few people have switched their votes back and forth on that one over the years (and at one time or another over 70 reps have voted for it), but don't think she's one of them.

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by: howardjp @ Mon Jan 30, 2006 at 21:43:18 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Today's Globe (0.00 / 0)

says that she favors the local-option meals tax.  If it's right, she appears to be on board with Deval Patrick on that issue, at least.

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by: David @ Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 08:15:46 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Not a fan (0.00 / 0)

I live in St. Fleur's district, and as a progressive, I'm not a fan.  It's clear that she's been aiming for higher office, though many thought it would be mayor (I recently heard that she'd begun sending city-wide mailings).  But while she's been geraring up for that leap, she hasn't done much in her office.

One fo the greatest betrayals of progressive values that comes to mind was in 2003 or 2004, when there was a proposal on the table to increase the work requirement which people receiving welfare would be forced to do to receive benefits.  You'd think that a rep from a low-income area would know that these rules do little but force people out of benefits--one can't get a job if it's not there, if one needs to care for small or disabled children, etc.  And one shouldn't be forced to do slave labor "community service" to get meager welfare benefits.  You'd also think that a woman of color would recognize how this proposal plays into the racist image of the lazy welfare queen (thanks, for that one, Reagan). But there was marie St. Fleur, speaking on the House floor in favor of this proposal!

Afterwards, one lobbyist heard from an unidentified rep say that amidst the flood of budget amendments, not everyone knew what they were voting on, but that if St. Fleur supported it, it couldn't have been too bad.  Obviously, that's about that representative's racism, but St. Fleur must also have known that her colleagues would make those kinds of judgements.  I'll be curious to see if she trots that out in this campaign in a Clintonesque claim of fiscal responsibility or some such thing.

I'm also hard-pressed to name any major victories or accomplishments for St. Fleur.  True, she does bring money to social service agencies in the district, and that's important.  But so does any good pol, left or right.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that we're at the point where an immigrant woman of color can be a viable LG candidate.  I suspect that many liberals, particularly from outside of Boston, will focus on that milestone and support her.  But beyond the symbolism, I for one, am not impressed. 

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by: fieldscornerguy @ Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 16:22:05 PM CST