by Neil W. McCabe

The state legislator, who represented the late State Sen. Charles E. Shannon Jr., in the House of Representative announced Friday his bid to succeed Shannon in the senate, and held a kickoff event Tuesday at the LaPatazza Restaurant in Winchester.

“I have received countless calls from residents of this district, as well as friends, colleagues and co-workers who are excited about this new opportunity,” said State Rep. Paul C. Casey, who is the House chairman of the Joint Committee on Public Safety.

Since the seat 2nd Middlesex seat became vacant with the passing of Shannon, the passing of State Senator Charles Shannon, Casey said he has been overwhelmed by a deluge of support from voters in Winchester, Woburn, Medford and Somerville. The eight-term state representative said he has an overabundance of experience to bring to the job.

On the joint public safety committee, Casey crafted the most comprehensive gun control laws in the nation, after which the federal government modeled its own protective measures. He sponsored legislation, which imposed tougher emissions standards to combat the scourge of rising toxins in our communities, and overhauled the state’s junior motor vehicle operator regulation, he said.

During his tenure as House’s chairman of the Joint taxation committee, Casey said he wrote and shepherded through the legislature a number of tax loophole-closing initiatives that brought millions of dollars back into state coffers during a time of economic malaise. He also led long fight for much-needed senior tax relief, he said.

Casey said after becoming a victim of identity theft, he is now a powerful advocate of legislation that protects the public against this crime.

Despite his statewide efforts, Casey has never left the neighborhood. He has made local aid a top priority throughout his tenure in the House, a perspective that will be no different if he is elected to the state senate, he said.

“My constituents understand and appreciate that my agenda is their agenda. Surely, the constraints created by a regime of fiscal austerity and tightening belts demand higher scrutiny and concentration on Chapter 70, Additional Assistance, Lottery Aid, water and sewer relief, MBTA reimbursement and any and every other mechanism that could bring extra dollars back to our communities,” he said.

“If elected to the Senate, my priorities in this regard will not change,” he said.