In a brief advert aired this week, state Sen. Eric Lesser has accused one in every of his opponents within the Democratic major race for lieutenant governor of taking cash from a bunch affiliated with some massive names in Republican politics.
“It’s a dark money disgrace,” the advert begins. “Kim Driscoll getting big money support from a Republican mega-donor close to (Senate Minority Leader) Mitch McConnell. Maybe because that Republican, a leading real estate developer, knows he’s got a friend in Kim Driscoll.”
The 30-second advert goes on to tout Lesser’s time within the Obama White House.
Established in late July by former legislator and Braintree Mayor Joe Sullivan, Leadership for Massachusetts advantages from funding from Manchester-by-the-Sea actual property investor Christopher Collins.
Collins beforehand donated to a number of distinguished Republican candidates, together with McConnell and Utah Sen. Mitt Romney.
Collins has not been shy about spreading his fortune round in political races, although, and has donated to a who’s who of Massachusetts Democrats, information present.
In 2021, he gave $2,900 to U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch’s re-election marketing campaign per week after he’d completed the identical for U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, in response to federal marketing campaign filings. He gave U.S. Rep Jake Auchincloss $1,000 in 2020, and despatched $500 to the state Democratic committee that 12 months.
In the previous 12 months, he has additionally donated $1,000 every to Attorney General Maura Healey, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and candidate for Attorney General Andrea Campbell.
The Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance exhibits that the PAC had acquired about $550,000 in donations by the center of the month, $100,000 of which is from Collins.
Filings additionally present it has spent $351,000 of it on help of Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll’s bid to be the lieutenant governor.
Driscoll’s marketing campaign didn’t return a request for touch upon the advert.
A ballot launched by MassInc Polling Group simply final week confirmed Driscoll main the race with 15% help, adopted by state Rep. Tami Gouveia with 8% and Lesser at 7%.
However, it’s nonetheless anybody’s race: The ballot additionally confirmed that 62% didn’t know who they’d vote for within the Sept. 6 major or refused to reply.
The winner of the lieutenant governor’s race will nearly definitely be a part of a ticket with Attorney General Maura Healey, who’s operating all however unopposed for the Corner Office. Healey hasn’t made an endorsement within the race.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”