(In the Democratic Primary) For Secretary of State:

The Chimes at Midnight heartily endorses William Galvin for re-election.

Humble Elias doesn't agree with more than a few of Galvin's political views, but remains impressed with his populist credentials and his commitment to preserving a paper based balloting system here in Massachusetts. He is not a perfect ideological fit with the Chimes at Midnight, but he is a serious man and an able public servant to dispense with him now would be foolish & quixotic.

Currently Secretary Galvin is faced with a primary challenge by one Jon Bonifaz, who is running on a voting rights platform.
Fair enough, no balloting system is 100% foolproof and there is always room for improvement here in Massachusetts. However, the Office of Secretary of State handles more than election mechanics and there seems little in Bonifaz' resume to suggest that he is ready to step up in the areas of corporate licensing and regulation.
And the guy voted for Nader in 2000, that just rankles quite a bit on the personal level. If the state democratic party is now pulling the convention credentials of delegates who have endorsed republican candidates, then why should Humble Elias give Bonifaz a pass since he walked out on Al Gore?

No...I'm sticking with Billy he has done nothing to merit the withdrawl of my support or my vote. I urge my readers to vote for Galvin on September 19th in the democratic primary.

(In the Democratic Primary) For Lieutenant Governor:

The Chimes at Midnight is proudly endorsing Worcester Mayor Tim Murray for Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
This was not an easy decision for Humble Elias to make, Deb Goldberg and Andrea Silbert are both able and intelligent people in every respect.
However, Murray both an agenda for the Commonwealth with assets that will help get the ticket elected this fall and when you match that up with his record in Worcester well...The man becomes the natural choice.
Humble Elias also sees Murray as the best fit with all three potential gubernatorial nominees, in each case he brings some strong to the table. He is also an affable man of reasonably humble origins far outside the cloisters of Boston.

If Murray is our Lieutenant Governor nominee this fall he will have to face Reed Hillman in debate. Humble Elias predicts that Hillman as a former State Police Commander will come on like Wyatt Earp, raving about criminal coddling democrats and all that nonsense. We will need someone who has "stood the watch" so to speak and can refute and attack on the basis of experience.
Moreover, and this is where things get a bit morbid, two out of the last three Massachusetts' governors have come to office via succession...Murray is the best qualified candidate to assume the governorship with the least amount of "on the job training" if matters came to a head.

In short, we need Tim Murray.

On this humid Memorial Day...

a cold refreshing quote from the late Senator and Vice President, Hubert H. Humphrey:

"Compassion is not weakness, and concern for the unfortunate is not socialism."

Something to remember as we gring our way thru yet another gruesome election cycle.

Interesting codicil to the current illegal immigrant "debate"

Can be found here.
Humble Elias sez, if Superman really is an illegal immigrant & is here in American under patently false pretenses...Then those pressing the government for authentic immigration reform ought to campaign under Kal El's trusty "S Shield" icon.
It'll drive the praetorians and Warner Brothers frickin' crazy.

This is hilarious...

Dollar Bill Monahan once appointed by Mitt Romeny to head the State Civil Service Commission before allegations of canoodling with gangsters scotched the deal, is SUING the Commonwealth for back pay and damages!
Oh this is rich, the suit names Romney, Shawn Feddeman, Spencer Zwick and Eric Fehrnstrom as co-defendents...oh and Monahan wants to be restored to the chairmanship of the Commission.
HAR!
Where does the Viceroy find these guys? They are hilarious.

I mean, why stop there Bill, why not sue to be crowned King of Belmont or Emperor of Little Pond?

Well what of it? Dollar Bill will discover that "Romney in Twilight" is no more trustworthy than the grinning Mythical UberManager of 2003.

Item!

The word on the street is, he won't get the fifteen percent to get on the primary ballot in September.
Nevertheless a source in a rival gubernatorial campaign alleges our boy will get the coveted fifteen percent when all is said and done at the upcoming state democratic convention.

Hmmmmm....could there be an arrangement here? A quiet meeting of the minds? An artistic...deal mayhap?

We will find out.

One thing we know for sure, Humble Elias just loves his blind items...he just does.

Farmer Sam Kelley is dropping out of the Lt. Governor's Race...

well that was a bit premature, but I was pretty certain that he'd never leave the convention with the 15% endorsement to get on the democratic ballot.
The rumor is, that he is signing on as the Patrick Campaign's health care advisor.
once again I'd like to reiterate the notion that while Dr. Kelley probably wasn't ready to go statwide I do believe his is an intriguing skillset to bring to bear on some cabinet sinecure.
This leaves Goldberg, Silbert and Murray in the race for Lieutenant Governor all for a chance to go mano a mano with Reed Hillman from the GOP and whatever hobo Crazy Christy Mijos digs up to run on the Old Milk ticket.