by Neil W. McCabe

The incumbent state representative for the 26th Middlesex District, which includes parts of wards 1 and 2, formally announced his candidacy for re-election at the Capuano Early Childhood Center June 28 before an audience of public officials, family members and more than 70 supporters.

“I am overwhelmed at the outpouring of support from community leaders all across the district and beyond. I am fortunate to be able to serve my district along with such a remarkable group of people,” said State Rep. Timothy J. Toomey Jr., D-Somerville, who is also the chairman of the Joint Committee on Public Safety.

“These are some of the hardest working elected officials I know. I am honored to count myself as a colleague,” he said.

Toomey, who sits on Cambridge’s city council, said his record shows his ability to produce results for the 26th Middlesex District, such as the grant he obtained to provide cutting-edge environmental design strategies for the Capuano Early Childhood Center.

Toomey said his commitment is evident in his attention to constituent services, leadership in directing state resources to the district, and hard work to improve the quality of life in the district. He noted that his roots in the community are deep.

Toomey’s vision for Somerville includes better public transportation, environmentally sound economic growth, quality education, safe neighborhoods, and affordable healthcare, he said.

Before Toomey took the podium, he was endorsed by Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and U.S. Rep. Michael E. Capuano, D-Somerville, a former mayor of the city.

“Tim’s been a strong advocate for healthcare issues. These are issues that touch us all every day,” said Curtatone.

Capuano looked around the crowd and said that in 20 years in politics he had fought with almost everyone there. “But I can’t ever remember having a fight with Tim,” he said.

Although he and Toomey have had disagnicholas pinto-nicholas pinto-reements, he has always found a way to work with him because of the Toomey’s great heart and concern for others, Capuano said. “I’ve never seen anything other than a receptive heart and a helping hand for anyone who needs it.”

“I couldn’t be happier and prouder to call Tim Toomey my friend and our state representative, now and in the future,” he said.

Toomey’s challenger in the Sept. 14 Democratic primary is Avi Green, a founder of Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership and graduate of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. The Republican candidate, David R. Slavitt, a prolific author and poet, is unopposed on his party’s ballot.

Other public officials present to endorse Toomey’s re-election bid included State Sen. Charles E. Shannon, D-Somerville; State Rep. Vincent P. Ciampa, D-Somerville; State Rep. Alice Wolf, D-Cambridge; Somerville School Committee member Maureen Bastardi; Cambridge Mayor Michael Sullivan; Governor’s Councilor Michael Callahan; and Somerville aldermen Dennis M. Sullivan, William M. Roche, Maryann M. Hueston and Robert Trane.