Franco Campaigns in Longmeadow
by Bill Dusty
While on the the road the other day, I passed by a campaign standout along the off-ramp to I-91….
The folks standing along the road were campaigning for none other than local Republican Party maverick Mike Franco, who is running for a seat on the Governor’s Council against Democrat incumbent Thomas T. Merrigan. Not being one to send out his troops on their own, Franco himself joined them on the front lines (right). 
Franco has been running for public office in the Pioneer Valley for several years, now, but says he has found it difficult to get press in this largely progressive region. An editorial in the Republican last summer didn’t help his cause, and Franco says that since that editorial appeared, in which the newspaper slammed his refusal to appear for jury duty in protest of what he termed a “systemically corrupted and politically motivated” State trial court system, several of his supporters have written letters to the paper in support of the embattled candidate. Thus far, however, none have been published. Franco says that he attempted to submit a rebuttal to the editorial comments, himself, but was told he would have to buy ad space.
So, he says, he resorts to getting his message out the old-fashioned way: Working the streets. Whether it’s campaigning for office or protesting government, Franco can be found standing on street corners throughout the region at most any time of year.
Franco’s campaign manager carries her candidate’s banner.
Obama supporters clustered around the same intersection that Franco backers gathered at (see Franco, standing at left).
For more information on Mike Franco’s campaign for a seat on the Governor’s Council, click here.
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6 Responses for “Franco Campaigns in Longmeadow”
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Wow, great pictures of the morally offensive signs by McCain the morally offensive candidate.
I agree with Franco, to the extent that jury duty is now a part-time responsibility in society. I attended jury duty in Hampden County(Springfield) in 2006. I was in group number 1-32. At 11:00 our group number was instructed to stand near the Court Officers counter at the exit to the hallway. Only 15 of the 32 potential jurors was in the area. I overheard a couple of the Court Officers saying that it was just a typical day at the Courthouse. That only half the jurors bothered to show for jury duty.
Bill, I agree. I had jury duty in Springfield about 2 years ago on a Monday, and less than 1/2 of those called failed to show. Seems truly sad to me and indicative of the deperessed spirit of local residents.
So, Greg, what exactly is that you find “morally offensive?”
If a newspaper slams a person in an editorial, it should be honor bound to allow the person they slammed to rebutt their comments. If they don’t, they are more in the business of making news and not reporting it. Too many newspapers on both the left and the right do that these days, and it deeply offends me.
Ken in MD
The use of the word “butt” on a campaign sign. I am all for any message the candidate wants to promulgate, but a far better and more accurate word could have been used here. Just my $.02
And Ken, I agree. This forum is open for posting comments by all- especially those an article is about.