The View from Prospect Hill

In a city known for its hardball politics, the news that Vincent P. Ciampa is launching a sticker campaign to retain his seat is refreshing.

For many progressives, who are used to judges granting their every wish, submitting to voters for a second round has to be a galling nuisance. Fortunately for our local body politic, Carl Sciortino, the Democratic nominee, welcomes the challenge and is up for the fight. Sciortino is a reasonable and likable man, who it is difficult to depict as a loopy leftist. Damn.

As we predicted the morning after, other media outlets were giddy to proclaim Sciortino’s victory in the primary a victory for same-sex marriage.

Hardly.

Sciortino beat Ciampa with shoe leather on pavement and knuckles on voters’ doors. Both men know it. As the next two weeks play out, the battle will not be fought on same-sex marriage, but on the hustings. Old school.

We endorsed Ciampa for nomination in the primary because his experience and leadership on Beacon Hill are more important to Somerville than the talents that Sciortino brings to the task.

That does not change with the turning of a calendar page. Ciampa is still our choice. We were for Ciampa, not against Sciortino, then and now.

The comments on our Web site: www.thesomervillenews.com are universally against Ciampa’s run. Yes, yes, yes, Ciampa lost the Democratic Primary. But, a primary is nothing more than the preference of a private organization.

As for party loyalty, our party is Somerville. Anyone who puts the needs of the city first must take the Ciampa sticker and do the right thing.