With the state primary elections less than a month away, outgoing State Rep. Dylan Fernandes, who represents the Vineyard, has thrown his endorsement behind Cape & Islands assistant district attorney Thomas Moakley who is running to be his successor.
“I am enthusiastically endorsing Thomas Moakley for State Representative in the district I’ve had the honor of serving for eight years,” Fernandes, who is currently running for a State Senate seat representing the Cape and Plymouth, said in a press release from the Moakley campaign. “I’ve seen Thomas up close and found him to be an incredibly hard worker with a depth of knowledge on the issues facing this special corner of the Commonwealth.”
Moakley has also received endorsements from Vineyarders like Dukes County Sheriff Robert Ogden and clerk of courts T. George Davis.
“I am honored to have Dylan’s endorsement because his tenure demonstrates that effective leadership means showing up, diving into the details and listening,” Moakley said in the release. “He’s delivered results for the district and I intend to work with him and others on critical issues including affordability, climate change and reproductive health care. In the meantime, I’ll be spending these last weeks before the Sept. 3rd primary reaching voters directly by knocking on doors, hosting meet-and-greets, and joining community events.”
Although losing the endorsement of Fernandes, Vineyard-based candidate Arielle Faria, who is the project and program management manager at Island Housing Trust, said she is not worried; the outgoing representative is allowed to make his own choices. The two have worked together before on housing issues, and she said Fernandes is still supportive of the collaboration.
“I am proud of the endorsements that I have,” Faria said, who has been endorsed by local officials like Aquinnah select board member Juli Vanderhoop and Oak Bluffs select board member K. Mark Leonard. “I am proud to be an Island candidate and I am proud to do this work.”
Faria said in the end, it comes down to “working for our communities,” which she said she has proven repeatedly she is “dedicated to that service.”
The two Democratic candidates are also scheduled to meet voters on August 21 at the Edgartown Public Library at 4:30 pm during a candidates forum, hosted by the League of Women Voters of Martha’s Vineyard.
Having worked with the state legislature and Governor’s administration closely for the last several years, most recently to advance the Seasonal Communities Designation, I will state that it is absolutely imperative that MV & Nantucket elect an Island voice to Beacon Hill. With gratitude for Dylan’s service and partnership during his tenure, it’s been over 40 years since a Martha’s Vineyard resident has held this seat and that absence of an Island resident in the legislature has been an inescapable and palpable absence for those of us working to advance policy needs and funding streams for the Islands. We’re very fortunate to have 2 qualified candidates running in this primary and I respectfully hope Islanders will remember this is an election rather than a coronation: our assessment of our needs for direct representation may differ from that of our outgoing Rep. I’ll be casting my vote for Arielle Faria, with confidence that she will give MV and Nantucket the necessary presence and strong voice we need in the State House at a time when we’ve never needed it more.
I agree 100%. The islands need a strong voice — and the legislature needs more members who won’t just “go along to get along” so they can move up the political ladder. Our state legislature ranks consistently near the bottom on such crucial issues as transparency. Since, unlike many state legislatures, it has no research bureau of its own, members must either do their own research or depend on that of well-funded lobbyists. We need Arielle Faria on Beacon Hill.
I find it funny they submit a photo for an island newspaper not even taking on the island. Both of them will do the same as others in the past and think of us last.
Why is where the photo is taken important?
Other than to continue your pattern of petty griping.
Both of them will have been elected by we the people.
Should we a have system where a minority selects our Representative?
Is that called a Republic?
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