City Democrats defy Corrigan and support White

By George P. Hassett

    Four Somerville Aldermen crossed party lines this week and supported the Republican candidate for state Senate, despite the threat of removal from the city democratic committee.

    Ward 2 Alderman Maryann Heuston, Ward 1 Alderman William A. Roche, Ward 4 Alderman Walter Pero and Alderman-At-Large Dennis M. Sullivan have all endorsed fellow Alderman William A. White, Jr. in his bid for the 2nd Middlesex state Senate seat.

    The candidates have supported White despite the taboo of crossing party lines, said Sean J. Fitzgerald, former chief of staff for the late Charles E. Shannon – the previous occupant of the 2nd Middlesex state Senate seat.

     “It is very unusual to endorse across party lines. Most of the Democratic Party establishment usually falls behind the candidate who won the primary. Because the people making these endorsements have worked with White in the past, I assume they are relying on those experiences and feel comfortable with the way he has operated on a municipal level – where much of the work is non-partisan,” he said.
      Helen Corrigan, chairwoman of the City Democratic Committee, said the Democratic endorsements of White were unacceptable.
     “I’m a yellow dog Democrat – I would vote for a yellow dog before I voted Republican. A Democrat endorsing Bill White is a very big no-no. I will be required to ask these people to resign from the Democratic City Committee,” she said.
      Roche said he would resign as chairman of the Ward 1 Democratic Committee if asked but would not resign as a member.
      “Helen Corrigan can not remove me from the committee. She doesn’t have the right. I think she should get her priorities straight and do the things we have been asking her to do for months — such as asking the Progressive Democrats of Somerville to stop illegally using Democrat in their title – and stop criticizing people for supporting a person and not the letter next to their name,” he said.
       In an e-mail obtained by the Somerville News, Helen Corrigan addressed various members of the Board of Alderman and School Committee, urging them to come together and support Patricia D. Jehlen, winner of the Democratic primary.
      “I am not entertained. There is a vast difference in the way Republicans and Democrats administer their politics. We have a Republican in the White House, a Republican in the corner office of the State House and we don’t need another Republican to further that agenda,” she said.
      Sullivan disagreed that White would be another piece in the Republican machine.
      “I think Bill’s core values are very much in line with the core Democratic values and I know he will not blindly support Mitt Romney,” he said.
      For his part, White said he has never met the current Governor and appreciates the support of his colleagues, who may be opening themselves up to criticism.
       Georgia Hollister Isman, Jehlen’s campaign manager, said the in-fighting and disputes in the Democratic Party are not affecting their operation.
       “It is unfortunate there is not more unity in the party. But this is not affecting anything we do,” she said.