Sent in by Eric Dondero:
QUINCY —James Sheets, the former six-term mayor of Quincy, said this afternoon he is considering running for Congress as an independent.
Sheets, 74, said he will decide in the “next few days” whether to run for the 10th Congressional District seat held by U.S. Rep. William Delahunt, D-Quincy, who announced in March he would not seek reelection.
“I would like to be part of one more battle in my lifetime, one more challenge,” Sheets said in a phone interview…
Sheets, a powerhouse politician in the city from the 1970s to the 1990s, left office in 2001 after a bruising defeat to William Phelan. He ran once before for Congress, in 1978, but lost to Brian Donnelly, who held the 11th District seat — which then included Quincy — from 1979 to 1993.
Sheets, who now teaches a course on government part-time at Quincy College, said he has been considering running “since they passed the Obama health care bill.”
Calling the bill “inhumane and cruel,” Sheets criticized Congress for agreeing to slash “half a trillion dollars” from Medicare over the next decade.
“What about the seniors who have done so much for this county in their lifetimes?” Sheets said. “People in their golden years were supposed to be able to rely on Medicare.”
A Democrat all his life, Sheets said he has grown disenchanted as the party has shifted further to the left.
“My problem now, I feel that the leadership of the Democratic party has really forsaken the average working man,” he said.
According to the city’s election department, Sheets unenrolled from the Democratic Party on Feb. 18, about one month before President Obama signed the healthcare bill into law.
Read the full piece here.
This could mean that the Working Families Party would nominate the Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins for Governor
No chance in hell. They nominate Democrats.
Sounds like this fellow would make a fine Green Party candidate.
Not close ideologically.
The Green Party has ballot status in Mass.
So, it would be vastly easier for the gentleman to get on the ballot.
Exactly the opposite in Mass. Easier for independents than small major parties.
I thought the Working Families party was in the back pocket of the Dems?
This could mean that the Working Families Party would nominate the Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins for Governor…
Remember in NY fusion allows candidates to be on two ballot lines..
…Here’s a story saying the Independence Party of New York has nominated Cuomo for Gov…
got anymore info on this?
http://www.longislandpress.com/2010/05/27/cuomo-gets-the-nod-wfp-gets-the-boot/
Zero, I was waiting for Robert Milnes’ reaction.
Sounds like this fellow would make a fine Green Party candidate.
The Green Party has ballot status in Mass.
So, it would be vastly easier for the gentleman to get on the ballot.
The Greens always need more candidates..
Vaughn, the way I read what the candidate himself said, it sounded like he was lamenting the Democrats’ move to the right (although I don’t really believe in the left/right spectrum…so it would be more accurate to say they moved in a more corporate friendly direction). But I guess that’s just the Medicare thing…I guess something close to a real socialist program has become centrist, while the corporate (not socialist) health care bill is extreme leftist nowadays? Anyway, I was doing some googling and this guy also endorsed Scott Brown so I guess he isn’t to the left of the Democrats…although we’ll have to see.
Derek, I’m not Robert, but I’m a PLAS supporter too; however, it can only work with independent candidates, not political parties.
No chance for PLAS, Robert?
Vaughn,
Depends upon whom you ask, I guess.
The Democratic Party shifted to the left?
Zero Party Revolution is a new organization which endorses all independents running for office; but never Democrats or Republicans, nor third party candidates.
All parties are evil.
Zero Party Revolution would like to endorse James Sheets for his independent campaign for Congress. But if he betrays us by joining a political party, even a third party, we will withdraw the endorsement.
Better running than considering.