Senate candidates focus on Medford
By George P. Hassett

      The candidates for the 2nd Middlesex state Senate seat shifted their focus to Medford this week, as three of the four announced major endorsements from the city of 55,765.
      Medford makes up 40% of the district and has the largest number of votes up for grabs despite being the hometown of candidate Michael J. Callahan, said Georgia Hollister Isman, campaign manager for State Rep. Patricia D. Jehlen, who is vying for the spot.
     “Medford is more wide-open than any other city in the district. Callahan is from there and has a certain base but he was a Governor’s Councilor, so he has not been as visible as Jehlen in Somerville or Paul Casey in Winchester.
      “A lot of people in Medford still are not sure who they will support,” she said.

     Because of that mass of uncertainty, each candidate said they have increased their efforts in the second largest community in the district – Somerville is the largest. This week alone, Jehlen, Callahan and former State Rep. from Somerville Joseph K. Mackey each announced major endorsements from Medford politicians.
     Former Medford State Rep. John Zamparelli endorsed Mackey, current State Rep. Paul J. Donato, D-Medford, endorsed Callahan and State Rep. James Marzilli, D-Medford, endorsed Jehlen.
    Medford has long been considered a blue-collar community and a bastion of Democratic, yet conservative politics, said Daniel Cohen, a political strategist working for Jehlen.
     But, he said that dynamic is changing in some parts of the city and a liberal candidate may not be dismissed as quickly in Medford as they would have been twenty years ago.
     “There are parts of Medford that have undergone substantial demographic changes in the past fifteen years that are beginning to be seen at the polls. Around Tufts in South Medford and in sections of West Medford, there are a lot of very progressive voters who will support Jehlen or Mackey. Those sections of the city are now just as progressive as certain parts of Somerville,” he said.
      Medford is certainly an important part of the district, but the strategies that worked there once will continue to work there now, said Mackey.
     “Medford is very important because it is the place where the fewest people know any candidate particularly well. But that just means we’ll be spending more time here, I won’t be doing anything differently – just sweating and working hard,” he said.