O’Flaherty Resigns; Race Is on for Seat

Charlestown’s Jack Kelly, a former At-Large City Council Candidate, Charlestown Democratic Ward Chair Chris Remmes and Dan Ryan, an Aid for U.S. Congressman Michael Capuano, will all be taking a shot at the soon to be open State Representative seat in the special election set for April 1. The seat will be availbe after Rep. Eugene O’Flaherty officially resigns.

The seat, which includes Chalrestown and Chelsea, has been represented by O’Flaherty, a Chelsea resident, for 17 years. O’Flaherty has been appointed as Mayor Marty Walsh’s chief legal counsel.

“I plan on being a candidate for State Representative,” said Kelly Wednesday. “ During the city election my campaign was excited to win every precinct in Charlestown and I hope to unite the neighborhood again to represent both Charlestown and Chelsea at the State House.”

As a first time candidate, Kelly had a good showing during last Novembers At-Large race.

Kelly topped the ticket here with 3,696 votes. However it wasn’t enough to catapult him into one of the four At-Large seats.

Kelly finished the night in eight place citywide with 23,935 votes.

Remmes, 48, said he is wrapping his head around the new race, and has raised a significant amount of money to get a head start.

“I am still wrapping my head around everything that’s happened with Gene leaving the seat,” he said. “It’s now a special election and there’s a lot less time, but I’m a candidate for the seat certainly. Before Gene stepped down, I thought it was time for new leadership in the district, and now that he is leaving, I still believe that.”
Remmes, who is a Realtor and an active member of the Charlestown community, said he has raised $23,450 in just three weeks.

Ryan, who was narrowly defeated by City Councilor Sal LaMattina by 152 votes in 2007 eyed another run for the seat when LaMattina ran for Suffolk County Register of Probate. However, LaMattina lost that race to Patty Campatelli and remained on the Council–putting Ryan’s aspirations for public office on hold.

“Yes, I intend to run for the Second Suffolk Seat in the Massachusetts House,” said Ryan. “This new era in Boston has produced opportunities for many people. I want to give those public servants who are assuming new roles the time and space they need to transition effectively. In the meantime, I will do what I need to do to answer the call when the opportunity to represent my neighbors presents itself.”

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