And they’re off
the race for state representative is underway

By Andrea Gregory

As of Monday, three Somerville residents have pulled papers, vying for the vacant Somerville state representative seat.
Denise Provost, Elizabeth Moroney and John Roderick are the first to show interest in the in the state house position, but there is still time for others to pull papers. Candidates must turn in 150 signatures by Nov. 29 to officially enter the running On Jan.10 the primary election will take place. And on Feb.7, Somerville residents will elect their new state representative.
Here are your choices (at first glance):

  Denise Provost
Provost has been alderman for almost six years. She has served on the Massachusetts Municipal Association Executive Committee and is a member of the local government advisory committee.
“I am committed to serving Somerville,” she said. “I know the district well, and I feel the district knows me.”
But Provost said the best way for her to serve Somerville is by having more pull at the state level. She said one of her big issues has been lobbying for matters that have a direct effect on the community calls home. She said she will continue to advocate for state aid tackle other issues affecting her constituents.
As an alderman, she has successfully reinstated grant funding for school nurses. She is also responsible for the polls opening at 7 a.m., an hour earlier than they did before Provost entered office.
In last weeks alderman-at-large race, Provost won more votes than any other candidate. 
“I did wonderfully well in the last election,” she said. “But I never take an election for granted.”
Provost said she is not sure if she would keep her alderman post if she becomes the next state representative, and that she will cross that bridge when she comes to it.

Elizabeth Moroney
Moroney said she was trying to think of who would be the next ideal state representative. Pondering over what type of candidate she would endorse, it hit her.
“I said, ‘I could do this,’” said Moroney, who is already door-knocking and handing out blue ice scrapers with her name in hope of gaining voter support. “It’s going to be a challenging campaign.”
Moroney said she is committed to the campaign and to the position. She will be leaving her title as chief of staff to Sen. Pam Resor and resigning from vice chairwoman of the Planning Board. Moroney has held both jobs for many years and said she is now equiped with a great deal of knowledge, making her a prime candidate. She said she plans to put all of her efforts into her campaign.
Like Provost, Moroney has concerns about recent cuts to state aid. Having worked in the State House, she said she is familiar with the process and has much to bring to the table.
“I would advocate for the City of Somerville. I want to use my experience and know-how to benefit the City of Somerville,” she said. “I care so much about this city,”

John Roderick
The latest to pull candidacy papers is Roderick.  He hesitates to call himself a candidate just yet, but has the papers to run just in case. That‚Äôs not the only thing he has just in case. Roderick already has the signs ready to go for the last time he ran.
He first ran in 2002 against Pat Jehlen. Jehlen won the election, but recently gave up her post as state representative to be state senator.
Roderick said he is thinking about giving it another go. He said his main concern is that Somerville residents have options. He said he would like to see more than just Democratic candidates lining up for the position. Roderick said if he runs, it will be as an Independent. He said he opposes the death penalty, is pro choice and is a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment.
He is a live-long resident of Somerville. He calls himelf a union man and has worked as a power engineer at a plant in Cambridge for the past 20 years.
“It’s nice to have choices in the general election,” he said. “I don’t know that we are really well served by having another progressive in there.”