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Michlewitz wins tight 3rd Suffolk Democratic primary by Brandon Simes
Managing EditorWednesday May 20, 2009 After a hard-fought, four-month campaign sprint North Ender Aaron Michlewitz prevailed in the May 19 3rd Suffolk District special election primary, edging out second place finisher and South Ender Susan Passoni by 181 votes.
Michlewitz’s campaign first announced it had won by 171 votes at a post-election party at The Living Room, a waterfront restaurant on Atlantic Avenue, at about 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday night. The final tally, however, showed that Michlewitz actually bested Passoni by 10 more votes than that.
The winner walked in to The Living Room shortly after 9:00 p.m. to applause, whistling, and chants of "Aaron, Aaron" from more than 150 people, and quickly circled the room for a round of hugs. The crowd kicked its excitement up a notch as Michlewitz made his way to the stage to the throb of Survivor’s ’80s classic "Eye of the Tiger." Before introducing the victor, Michlewitz’ childhood friend Jason Aluia thanked the various neighborhoods of the district, including the South End, which received a huge cheer, as the man Michlewitz aims to replace, former House Speaker Sal DiMasi, and City Council President Michael Ross looked on.
Taking the stage to thunderous applause, Michlewitz, DiMasi’s former constituent services director, mouthed the word "wow" a few times before motioning for the crowd to quiet.
"This whole day was like a culmination of my whole life," said Michlewitz, who promised to win the June 16 general election. "I saw childhood friends. I saw people I had worked with. I saw my entire family... and it’s just an overwhelming experience.
"My mother was always pushing me, prodding me, trying to make me do better," he continued. "But I wouldn’t be here today without that attitude and always trying to do better. We win by 171 votes [later determined to be 181], I think we should’ve won by more, and that’s because of my mother."
When all the votes were counted, Michlewitz led the way with 2,116 votes in the four-person Democratic contest. Passoni took 1,945 votes, while Beacon Hill resident Lucy Rivera earned 103 and North Ender Brian Ross received 44 votes. The 4.06 percent spread between Michlewitz and Passoni, left the latter, now a three-time campaign runner-up, visibly emotional as she addressed her supporters minutes before 9:00 p.m. at 28 Degrees on Appleton Street to concede the race to Michlewitz.
"Obviously a disappointing outcome, but I cannot tell you how proud I am to be surrounded by such amazing people," Passoni told a crowd of about 70 to applause.
"The results, I think, speak for themselves, it was a narrow margin, we missed it by roughly 170 votes, so it was really close," she said.
Despite the loss - or perhaps because of it - Passoni appeared relaxed and in good spirits, joking about adding "in campaigns and then not in campaigns" to her wedding vows before ending her roughly seven-minute speech. She also asked for and received a beer before she took the microphone.
"Can I at least get a drink? Because you guys are ahead of me," she said to laughs.
Meanwhile, David Trumbull, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary, won 99 votes, or 83.90 percent of the total votes cast (there were 19 write-in votes). Trumbull, of Beacon Hill, and independent candidate John Keith, another South Ender, will face Michlewitz in the June 16 special election.
Michlewitz campaign director Richard Lynds said higher voter turnout in the North End versus the South End played a pivotal role in the final outcome.
"I was quite impressed with the way the North End turned out, they almost doubled their numbers since the last special election," he said.
The numbers and comments from North End voters earlier in the day bore out Lynds’ assertion.
"The main thing here is we need someone who is from the neighborhood and that knows the inner workings of the State House, and Aaron’s worked in the State House," said North Ender Patty Papa outside the Ward 3, precinct 1 poll at the Christopher Columbus apartment complex on Commercial Street. "He knows the issues that we’re facing in this community. ...The people in the North End are for Aaron because he’s there, he knows what the issues are."
"There’s a host of reasons [I voted for Michlewitz]," continued Papa, who called the turnout at his precinct "unbelievable." "There’s a whole neighborhood process people have to go through, which some people bypass. Aaron’s for that. He’s on the neighborhood council. He’s worked in the mayor’s office. He’s worked in the State House. He knows how to get things done."
Peter DeGraudis, a 20-year-old North Ender, pointed to his familiarity with the candidate in the community as his main reason for giving Michlewitz his vote.
"I’m just here to help out Aaron," he said. "Aaron’s always helped out the neighborhood. I’ve known him a pretty long time. He’s a proud member of the community."
In the South End the story was quite similar in favor of the neighborhood candidate, but the numbers didn’t match those of the North End.
Michlewitz’s red campaign signs stuck out at 465 Tremont Street, the Ward 5, precinct 1 polling place, and his supporters remained more visible than any other campaigns, but voters voiced their support for Passoni and gave her 61.59 percent of the vote.
"She ran a good campaign," said Chris, a Bay Village resident who did not want to give his last name. "Her people were very consistent in courting my vote."
"Let’s hope that there’s more activity as far as balloting is concerned and that my candidate wins," said Richard Scerbo, a Charles Street South supporter of Passoni.
That activity, however, did not come. Overall voter turnout weighed in at just 15.21 percent, less than the 16 percent one Passoni campaign worker, who would not give her name, said the campaign hoped for on Tuesday afternoon. Of the 28,543 registered voters in the 3rd Suffolk District, only 4,340 cast ballots.
With June 16 less than a month away, Lynds said Michlewitz will continue along the path that brought him the Democratic nod, talking about the issues important to residents of the 3rd Suffolk district and convincing voters that the North Ender knows those issues best. Ross, the other North Ender in the race, voiced his support for the winner in the general election in an e-mail on the morning of May 20.
"I will be as supportive as possible during Aaron’s run in the general election," said Ross. "I think it is important to keep the seat in the party. I had a chance to meet Aaron at The Living Room last night and congratulated him and told him that I will be more than happy to help in any way."
Jake Seiner contributed to this report.
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