This week, Chelsea City Council Vice President Clifford Cunningham made an announcement regarding his candidacy for the 2nd Suffolk District seat previously held by Gene O’Flaherty. His decision to enter the race comes with a notable distinction: he will be running as a Republican, a field where no other GOP candidates have emerged thus far. Meanwhile, the Democratic primary remains crowded with contenders.
On April 1, voters will head to the polls for the general election to fill this position.
Below is the statement Cunningham released announcing his bid:
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Clifford Cunningham
“After consulting with family, friends, supporters and others whose opinions I value, I am officially announcing my candidacy for State Representative in the 2nd Suffolk District. As the City Councilor for District 7 in Chelsea since 2012, I have always voted in the best interest of the people, whether it was politically prudent to do so or not. The people of Chelsea and Charlestown deserve a State Representative who will stand up to the Beacon Hill establishment and special interests that have held power for far too long, make the tough decisions, and restore the people’s faith in government. If granted the honor of serving Chelsea and Charlestown in the House of Representatives, I will fight to make Beacon Hill work for the people, and be accountable to the people.
I fully expect the establishment and special interests to try to paint me as a radical in an attempt to distract the people from our state’s rising unemployment rate, tax increases that harm businesses and hard-working families alike to pay for the out-of-control growth and expenses of state government, our crumbling infrastructure and debt-ridden public transportation system, and attempts to weaken our state’s education system through implementation of Common Core. These issues transcend language, cultural background, income, or socio-economic levels; they are not Democratic or Republican issues. These issues affect us all. I am not afraid to speak about these issues honestly and offer real solutions because I am not beholden to the establishment or any special interest; I am beholden only to the people I represent.”