May 27, 2008

Republicans turn to Fitzgerald to succeed Burns

Faced with a deadline Tuesday for making a choice about whether to run again, incumbent state Rep. Ron Burns opted to pull out of the race.
The freshman Republican’s decision to sit out the 77th District contest cleared the way for a political newcomer, Jill Fitzgerald, to claim the GOP’s nomination in what is likely to prove a tough battle against Democrat Chris Wright.
“I have no doubt that Jill will be able to fill Ron's shoes and pick up where Ron left off,” said Gary Klemyk, the Republican district chairman.
Burns, who quit the City Council in 2005 after a single term, said he has been “anguishing” about whether to seek reelection for weeks, but ultimately recognized that he could not give his all to both the legislature and his full-time job as the second-in-command at the Bristol Boys and Girls Club.
“Something has to give and one or the other is not going to get my full attention,” Burns said.
Beyond that, he said, he has “irons in the fire” that could potentially lead to a new position.
Burns said he’ll lend a hand to Fitzgerald in her quest to keep the district out of Democratic hands and may well leap back into the political fray in years to come.
Burns was the only Republican legislator in New England to defeat an incumbent Democrat in 2006, when he upended longtime state Rep. Roger Michele, taking the district for the GOP for the first time since James White won the seat in 1992.
State Rep. Bill Hamzy, a Plymouth Republican whose 78th District includes northwestern Bristol, said Burns is “the exact type of person we want serving in public office. He’s diligent. He cares about people and the issues. He works hard. It’s certainly going to be a loss to Bristol, but what are you going to do?”
Hamzy said, though, that Fitzgerald made “a very positive impression” on him.
“She is someone in the same mold as Ron,” Hamzy said, and will put up a solid and potentially winning campaign against a little-known Democrat.
“She’s a really intriguing candidate” with a lot of passion, said Tom Barnes, Jr, chairman of the city’s GOP.
Mayor Art Ward, a Democrat, said he has “the utmost respect for Ron Burns as both a legislator and as a person. Ron has always been able and willing to work in a bipartisan manner for the best interests of the community, as both a member of the Bristol City Council and a state representative.”
“I am positive that Ron's decision not to seek reelection was a painstaking process which ultimately was determined by his dedication to the youth of our community,” Ward said, adding that he wishes Burns “continued success in all of his future endeavors.”
Art Mocabee, a former city Republican leader, called Burns’ departure “a loss for Bristol as a community, as we all know the quality of the values Ron Burns lives his life around. His second term would have led him to many new leadership positions and to a better understanding of state government.
“It is truly disappointing that it had to come down to an employment issue,” Mocabee said. “Ron has done much for the Bristol Boys and Girls club over the many years he has served there. I think they should have worked with him more.”
Burns said, though, that the resources at the club that made it possible for him to run two years ago no longer exist.
“It makes it tough for me,” Burns said.
Klemyk said that Burns “will be a very missed asset that has served Bristol and the state with the utmost dignity, and is always looking out for the tax payer and asking questions making sure our tax dollars are spent wisely.”
Hamzy, a former state Republican Party chairman, said that looking at the big picture, Burns’ decision is typical of a growing problem.
“It really is getting very difficult to find good people to run for office when they have professional obligations,” Hamzy said.
“It’s almost become a societal issue because businesses and employers don’t want employees to run for public office,” he said, which drastically limits the pool of possible contenders.
State lawmakers serve two-year terms and earn $28,000 for their part-time positions. The general election is November 4.

Update at 10 p.m. - I talked with Jill Fitzgerald this evening, but it was too to make the story for Wednesday's paper. And since I'm tired and a little under the weather, I'll wait until morning to write it up. So check back in 12 hours!

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very good...for Wright.

This article and the comments sound like a tribute to Burns. What's the story on Fitgerald? What has she done?

Forget the hyperbole Klemyk. Where's her press release? DUH!

What a joke.

Congratulations Wright, even though you're wrong for our state legislature.

Anonymous said...

I blame the Suchupar and the BBGC for this. Ron will be sorely missed. He reached across party lines and that is why he was elected. This is a sad day for Bristol politically.

Anonymous said...

What's "intriguing" supposed to mean? We want a representative, we're not out on the prowl looking for a hot date.

Anonymous said...

May 27, 2008 8:49 PM:

Give it a break! Suchapar is a Republican...unless the rat Stortz (who's been critical of Burns on the Bristolct.net site) is pulling some strings here.

Could it be that Burns is getting big-bucks from the BBGC and the boss thinks he should be there earning his pay, not galavanting around the Capitol?

Anonymous said...

Too bad to see Ron bail out, but Jill is a very smart and excited to run this fall. Chris Wright is also a unknown individual with little political experience, so this race will be out each candidate defining themselves and not so much their opponent. Republican's have a full slate and that was the goal and since the state is going to fund the campaigns anything can happen. In past years he/ she who had the most money usually won, but now it is all the same. The fact the state is funding these races is another issue, but it is the system in place. Jill is a person who cares about her community, her state, and is willing to do the work to get elected. Go Jill!! Just wait and learn, she is a genuine person who wants to help our state and community become better than it is right now.

Anonymous said...

Mike Suchopar took over the BBGC which was in dire straights, and it still has a way to go.
He cannot afford to carry someone just because that person wants to try someting new. Surely Mike is looking out for the BBGC long term.

Besides, what has Ron really done? Nice guy, doesn't question, didn't question things when he was on the council.


I wish Jill luck, but frankly, the 77th district doesn't have great candidates running this time araound.

Anonymous said...

8:40 PM poster - what does a press release have to do with getting nominated?

8:49 Poster - Ron will be missed. He is the perfect role model of how a politician should act. To bad we can't clone Ron at the Federal level.

Anonymous said...

Would Ward say that if Burns was running?

Anonymous said...

8:49

Gee, if McCain doesn't win in Novemenber, are you going to blame Stortz for that too?

Anonymous said...

"8:40 PM poster - what does a press release have to do with getting nominated?"

Nothing if you don't want good press on the night of the nomination (when people might be paying attention). We're waiting and so far we're not too impressed. Perhaps we might be enlightened regarding her education or occupation?

LOL, what amateurs. Good luck.

Anonymous said...

May 27, 2008 9:23 PM:

A "press release" as to tell people something about the candidate on her "big night".

This is the same district that let Block slide in virtually unopposed. But admittedly, it's not the only one.

I fell sorry somewhat for this lady. But maybe she can beat Wrong-Wright? Let's hope so!

Anonymous said...

The problem is nobody wants to run or get invovled with goverment anymore...So to have 2 people at least put their names is awesome. So to sit home on your computer and critize someone for not putting out a press release is already alot more then you or anyone on here will ever do.

Anonymous said...

"Just wait and learn, she is a genuine person who wants to help our state and community become better than it is right now"

--Wouldn't it have been better if we didn't have to wait to learn something about her?

"He is the perfect role model of how a politician should act. To bad we can't clone Ron at the Federal level"

--Don't we already have a do-nothing Congress? This statement is typical of the duds we have had running the Bristol TC for years. Excuse me I'm more interested in a candidate's political ideology than his/her past private life.

Anonymous said...

May 27, 2008 9:50 PM:

Unfortunately sir/madam, your interpretation of this is somewhat unknowledgable.

Anonymous said...

"So to sit home on your computer and critize (sic) someone for not putting out a press release is already alot more then you or anyone on here will ever do"

---I assume then you've conferred with someone and have already written a press release before you wrote your little garbage-graph?

---I'm not criticizing her, I'm criticizing the buffoons leading the party.

Anonymous said...

Fitzgerald and Wright shouldn't count their chickens....another name will rise from the ashes soon.

Anonymous said...

bla bla bla, Burns Burns Burns...I've already lost interest.

Anonymous said...

Count their chickens! Count their chickens! Count their chickens!

Anonymous said...

May 27, 2008 10:23 PM:

Spare us please!

Anonymous said...

May 27, 2008 10:23 PM:

Please not Roger Michele. NOOO! Well actually that might be good...for this new lady. Not that little guy again, TD? How about Eucoliptus...nnoooooo!

Anonymous said...

Bristol Theater Arts 2007
"High School Musical"....
Producers: Shawn and Jill Fitzgerald

-I found this on line when I googled Mrs. Fitzgerald.

-Obviously she's someone Ken Johnson brought in. Why is she interested in this? She sounds nice.

Anonymous said...

She can be "ANNIE" alongside "Daddy Warbucks"