by Neil W. McCabe

The governor’s councilor for the 6th District, which includes Somerville, announced his State Senate candidacy with a campaign event at Assembly Square’s Good Time Emporium and an important endorsement.

“I strongly believe that the main job of a state senator is to help people, said Michael J. Callahan, who was endorsed at the event by A. Joseph DeNucci, the state’s auditor.

DeNucci said Callahan was a loyal and good friend who would do an outstanding job as state senator.

“Whether it is helping to resolve a crisis in the racing industry, working to resolve consumer complaints at the Medford Consumer Commission, helping to solve a constituent problem while I was a administrative assistant in the State Senate or responding to a citizens needs while serving as your Governor’s Councilor the past seven years, I believe helping people on a case by case basis is the best way I can make sure our government works for you,” Callahan said.

The Medford resident said he announced his candidacy for the Democratic Nomination for the 2nd Middlesex district seat in the State Senate vacated by the death of Charles E. Shannon Jr. in front of a crowd of more than 300 people,

Callahan said people have asked him why he would take on the challenges of being a state senator, and his answer is simply that he feels that he can make a difference given his experiences, both personally and professionally.

“At a young age I had the honor of serving my country in the United States Army in Vietnam, where I  learned that through perseverance all obstacles can be overcome,” he said.

“This experience also instilled in me the belief that no veteran of the United States Armed Forces should be left homeless or without proper medical care. We must ensure that the families of those defending our nation are not short-changed because of the sacrifices of their loved ones,” he said.

The Callahan campaign for State Senate will focus on three major areas of concern health care, jobs and education, he said.

“We must provide affordable health care to all citizens, especially the senior citizens and children of the commonwealth,” he said.

When elected he plans to file legislation to create The Family Dependent Care Act, which would provide for funding, education, training and support for families that are faced with the difficult task of caring for loved ones who have been stricken by disease or illnesses such as Alzheimers, which he knows about from his own background of caring for someone with this illness, he said.

“I spent six years caring for my mother, an Alzheimers patient,” he said.

“I personally experienced how little help was available to victims and their families. I remember how it felt not to have support services or a central source of information. This legislation is needed as a first step in developing the necessary support services to assist people in need,” Callahan said.

Callahan said the voters will send a message when they send him to the State Senate. “Voters will have a strong voice for job creation and economic development, looking at the economic condition of our state we know that unemployment has more than doubled during the Republican administration.”

“I am dismayed at what is happening to people who are now working at a lower rate of pay than before, it is time we put the working men and women of Massachusetts back to work and give them a fair working wage,” he said.

“My record on this issue speaks for itself, as assistant to the racing commissioner I worked with other state and local officials to save and restore over 10,000 jobs through the reopening of Suffolk Downs. This reopening revitalized the area and had a great economic impact,” he said.

“The working people of the 2nd Middlesex district need a State Senator who will fight to ensure that everybody has the opportunity to get a good paying job and the dignity that goes along with it,” he said.

Callahan said he also has a strong commitment to improving our educational system.
“There is nothing more important than a good education. Everyone must be afforded the tools to have the opportunity to succeed and excel,” he said.

“Among these tools is the need to increase funding for higher education, support for early education programs such as kindergarten development grants and the strengthening of teacher recruitment and retention programs,” he said.

Callahan said his experience includes serving as legislative assistant to former State Senators Denis K. McKenna and John W. Bullock.

Callahan attended St. Francis of Assisi in Medford in its first graduating class, as well as, Medford High School, North Shore Community College and Northeastern University.