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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 7, 2006 |
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Moore Barbecue shows support runs deep for popular senator Chris Gabrieli tops famous "Chicken Poll" SUTTON – Nearly 400 friends, supporters and candidates took advantage of ideal summer weather to fill the pavilion at Blackstone National Golf Course to honor popular state Senator Richard T. Moore and his wife, Joanne, at their annual chicken barbecue. The overflow crowd was on hand to show their appreciation of Moore’s exemplary service on Beacon Hill, and to enjoy a delicious buffet of poultry and politics overlooking the gently rolling green hills of Sutton in the heart of the senator’s district. By mid-afternoon, supporters of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Gabrieli were crowing about their candidate’s strong showing in Moore’s “Famous Chicken Poll.” Despite being absent from the event because of his mother’s death last week, Gabrieli (95 votes) substantially outpolled his two rivals Deval Patrick (60 votes) and Attorney General Tom Reilly (59 votes). The “Famous Chicken Poll,” according to Senator Moore, is not a scientific sampling, but it has often predicted that actual election victors during the past twenty years. “Although not everyone chooses to vote, it’s an opportunity for those attending the barbecue to express their views on the upcoming primary election. Since voters in South Central Massachusetts are known for their common sense, the results are usually on the mark,” the senator explained. “There’s always a lot of clucking after the results are announced,” Moore joked. In the balloting for Lieutenant Governor, Worcester Mayor Tim Murray handily won the race by garnering 136 votes to 8 for Andrea Silbert and 5 for Deborah Goldberg. While Murray was obviously strong local favorite, his vote tally was probably aided by the timely distribution of “Tim Murray Fans” under the warm barbecue tent, according to event coordinator, Russ Trottier of Northbridge. Secretary of State Bill Galvin was among the featured speakers. A regular participant in Senator Moore’s annual barbecue, Galvin’s presence was rewarded by a landslide victory of 127 votes to his opponent John Bonifaz’s 13. Worcester County Sheriff Guy W. Glodis, spoke, needling his former Senate colleague as “the Grand Poobah and Baron of the Blackstone Valley,” titles often conferred on Moore by Senate Republican leader Brian Lees of Springfield. However, on a more serious note, Glodis told the crowd that “Dick Moore is the hardest working, most knowledgeable, most effective legislator on Beacon Hill.” Three of the four candidates for the 7th District Governor’s Council race moved from table to table introducing themselves the large crowd of Moore supporters. Leading the balloting in the “Famous Chicken Poll” for Governor’s Council was Brian D’Andrea with 97 votes. He was followed by Tom Foley with 56, Brian Buckley with 26, and Dan O’Connor with 8 votes. Two other featured speakers who address that event were Congressman Richard E. Neal (D-2nd District) who represents all of Moore’s towns in Washington, and Congressman Jim McGovern (D-3rd District) who spoke on behalf of Deval Patrick for Governor and Tim Murray for Lt. Governor. Both Neal and McGovern praised Senator Moore for his attention to the needs of his Central Massachusetts district. Also in attendance were Rep. Marie J. Parente (D-Milford) and her Democratic Primary opponent John Fernandes; Rep. Paul Kujawski (D-Webster), and his opponent Mark Dowgiewicz; and retiring Rep. Mark Carron (D-Southbridge) who spoke on behalf of candidate Gabrielli. Four of the five candidates running hard for Carron’s soon-to-be-vacated House seat were present: Geraldo Alicea, Joanne Powell, and Karen Spiewak, all of Charlton; and Scott Lazo of Southbridge. Democratic state committee members Irene Kokocinski of Webster, Pauline Aucoin of Dudley, and Tom Cullen of Uxbridge were joined by a number of local officials and Democratic Town Committee members from the fourteen towns in the senatorial district. Among the local officials present were: Blackstone Selectman Robert Dubois, Douglas Selectman Shirley Mosczynski, Dudley Selectman Brian Germain, Dudley Moderator Patrick Flynn, Southbridge Town Councilors Dale Ferron and Steve Lazo, Northbridge Selectmen Joseph Montecalvo and Charles Ampagoomian, Northbridge Town Manager Michael Coughlin, Milford Police Chief Tom O’Loughlin, Northbridge Police Chief Walter Warchol, recently retired chiefs John Hebert of Sutton and Timothy Ryan of Millville. In addition to the public officials and political candidates, Senator Moore was joined by his wife Joanne, his brother, retired Hopedale Fire Chief Donald A. Moore and his wife, Norma both of Milford, his sister-in-law Diane Bednarz, brother-in-law Walter Bednarz, and his nephew John Bednarz. Senator Moore is running unopposed for re-election to a sixth full term in the Massachusetts Senate representing the towns of Bellingham, Blackstone, Douglas, Dudley, Hopedale, Mendon, Milford, Millville, Northbridge, Oxford, Southbridge, Sutton, Uxbridge, and Webster. He holds a leadership post as Senate Chairman of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing, and was among the principal authors of the state’s new landmark Health Care Reform law. |
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