By: Tom Duggan
What a difference two years makes.
Lawrence Mayor Brian DePena made an official endorsement of former State Representative Marcos Devers tonight at the Terra Luna restaurant on Essex St. just feet from DePena’s office in City Hall.
Also in attendance supporting Marcos Devers was Methuen City Councilor Neily Soto, Lawrence City Councilor Celina Reyes, and candidate for Governor’s Council Eunice Zeigler who served six terms on the Methuen City Council.
“The people need Marcos. I need Marcos. Marcos is good for the city,” DePena said.
“I am so humbled to have the love and support of Mayor Brian DePena,” Devers told the crowd at Terra Luna.
“Most of you know we do not always agree but we can work together and that is what Lawrence is all about.”
WHY THE CHANGE?
Two years ago, incumbent State Representative Marcos Devers was defeated in the Democratic Party primary by Francisco Paulino, Mayor Brian DePena’s hand-picked candidate.
There was still a lot of bad blood between Devers and DePena going back four elections when DePena supported another candidate over Marcos, and then in the following city council race when Marcos opposed DePena’s at large run.
So, in 2022 DePena recruited Francisco Paulino, a tax accountant and local business and property owner.
Paulino poured tens of thousands of dollars of his own money into his campaign, as he appeared side by side with Mayor DePena and members of the DePena team at every public event during the 2022 campaign.
Mayor DePena even held signs for Paulino, endorsed him on radio programs, held fundraisers, and even sent out mailings to Lawrence voters, just to make sure they knew Paulino was a part of the DePena team.
That was then, and this is now.
Within weeks of defeating Devers and taking office as the new state representative, however, a split began to form between the mayor and the new state rep.
The two were often seen having heated arguments at public events, while in private, supporters on both sides said the conflict between the two was unbearable to watch and almost came to blows several times.
Nobody in either camp will explain the reason for the conflict between DePena and Paulino. When asked, DePena denies there is a conflict, while Paulino admits there’s tension but says that the two just have different styles.
Now, Lawrence Mayor DePena has put aside the decade long rivalry between he and Devers and extended an olive branch to defeat Francisco Paulino in the 16th Essex District.
“This time I will stand with Marcos” DePena told The Valley Patriot.
“Marcos was a great representative for the people, he will do what is best for the city and we need him back in that position, he said.
“I know now I made a mistake,” he was overheard saying at a fundraiser. “When you do that you need to correct your mistake and I am doing that now.”
At Terra Luna he touted Devers as easy to work with, “I need someone I can work with, someone who understands (that) we do this for the people. It’s all about the people. We don’t do this for ego or headlines. It’s time to give the City of Lawrence back to the people, and Marcos will help me do that.”
PAULINO ENDORSEMENTS
For his part, Rep. Paulino scored a huge endorsement by the most popular elected official in Lawrence this week, State Senator Pavel Payano.
Payano is by far the most well liked and most powerful member of the state delegation representing Lawrence. His endorsement carries huge weight with Lawrence voters.
Payano touted Paulino’s track record for bringing money into Lawrence and his endorsement is a major coup for the one term representative as Payano and Mayor DePena have always been on the same page politically until this year.
Paulino also scored an endorsement this week from State Rep. Ryan Hamilton from Methuen, Lawrence Rep. Estela Reyes, as well as several Lawrence city councilors including; Vivian Marmol, Stephanie Infante, Jeovanny Rodriguez, and Fidelina Santiago, all of whom have bucked the mayor and been seen with Paulino on the campaign trail.
Rep. Paulino has long contended that he won the last election on his own and could have been successful whether he had the support of Mayor DePena or not.
Mayor DePena’s campaign team seemed to scoff at that idea.
This year the voters are going to find out once and for all if that is true.
Just as it did two years ago, the heated race for the 16th Essex State Rep. race is of primary concern for Lawrence Mayor Brian DePena and his detractors on the city council.
Everyone is taking sides and political fallout could influence next years municipal election as Mayor DePena will be up for reelection as well as the entire city council.
The election is Tuesday, September 3rd.
Voters in both Lawrence and Methuen will vote in this race.
Whoever wins this primary will take office in January, as there is no republican or independent on that ballot. ◊