Alderman passes on Patrick, goes with Gabrieli
By George P. Hassett

Alderman-at-Large Dennis Sullivan became the first city official to endorse a candidate for governor other than Deval Patrick this week when he formally endorsed Chris Gabrieli for the state’s top job. Sullivan had already been working as Gabrieli’s Somerville coordinator before the formal announcement.

   Last week, U.S. Congressman Michael E. Capuano, Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, Sen. Jarrett T. Barrios, Sen. Patricia D. Jehlen, state Rep. Denise Provost, state Rep. Carl M. Sciortino, and state Rep. Timothy J. Toomey  collaborated on an opinion piece for The Somerville News in which they expressed their support for Patrick‚Äôs candidacy. In the op-ed, the swarm of Somerville pols said Patrick also has the support of each school committee member and eight aldermen — William Roche, MaryAnn Heuston, Thomas F. Taylor, Walter Pero, Rebekah Gewirtz, Robert C. Trane, Bruce Desmond and Provost. Alderman-at-Large William A. White is a Republican and Ward 5 Alderman Sean T. O‚ÄôDonovan has not publicly announced an endorsement.
   That leaves Sullivan all by his lonesome in supporting a candidate other than Patrick. He said he doesn‚Äôt mind being outside of the crowd.
   ‚ÄúI‚Äôm independent-minded,‚Äù he said. ‚ÄúI didn‚Äôt pay attention to who anyone else was supporting, I did my homework on the candidates.‚Äù
   Sullivan said he first met Gabrieli when the venture capitalist ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Congress in 1998 and, in 2002, supported him for lieutenant governor. All three gubernatorial candidates — Gabrieli, Patrick and Thomas Reilly are similar on the issues, but it is Gabrieli who has the qualifications and personal experience for the job, Sullivan said.
  ‚ÄúI believe Chris is the most qualified candidate and the only one with the experience and knowledge to get our economy going again and restore the recent cuts to local aid,‚Äù Sullivan said. ‚ÄúDoes it mean anything to me that everybody else is with Deval? No, not really. It‚Äôs the qualifications and the ability that matter most.‚Äù