PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Pam Malumphy, an independent candidate for state representative for the 3rd Berkshire District, said her campaign will focus on fice key issues.

Eager to hear from other candidates, Malumphy said she is first to put forth a platform focusing on key issues affecting the district, which covers the city of Pittsfield, as well as the commonwealth:

1) Jobs

2) Education

3) Affordable health care for families, elders and veterans

4) Ethics reform

5) Lifetime appointments and rerm limits

Malumphy said her background has afforded her skills no other candidate possesses in this upcoming special election. As the recent regional director for the Massachusetts Office of Business Development, Malumphy networked with local, regional, state and federal agencies to assist businesses. But she also recognized the state's programs could fall short when it came to assisting small business. 

"Most of my dealings were with smaller businesses and I would love to find a way to match state dollars with the local GE Economic Development Fund to create a small loan and grant system for small business," said Malumphy. "It's that kind of thinking that will help support the family and small businesses we want to see grow."

A former teacher with an undergraduate and graduate degree in education, Malumphy served for five years, until 2010, on the local School Building Needs Commission that is looking at city's high schools. 

"I understand the growing confusion as to the relationship between the SBNC and the state [School] Building Authority and how residents need more information. The 3rd Berkshire state rep can and should be a strong advocate and positive intermediary with getting the process back on track."

A third issue for Malumphy's campaign is affordable and accessible health care. "Health care is mandated in Massachusetts and the state has taken far too large a role in becoming an insurer rather than advocate for making certain we have affordable and accessible health care.”

Lastly, with the last two Democratic state representatives vacating their seats prior to completing their terms and forcing expensive special elections, Malumphy is determined to demonstrate that partisan politics and back-room deals are not acceptable in Pittsfield or on Beacon Hill. 

"I can't tell you how disappointed I am to watch what's happened in our district with another vacated state rep seat, the recent lifetime appointment for clerk magistrate, a local administration under continuous ethics scrutiny, and candidates who are vacating their own public responsibilities to run for this seat," said Malumphy. "We need an advocate for jobs, affordable health care particularly for families, our elders and veterans, education, and strong reform when it comes to ethics, lifetime appointments and term limits. It is critical that we have an independent voice on Beacon Hill representing this community's concerns and not pandering to partisan politics and patronage."

Visit VoteMalumphy.com for more detailed information about her platform.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — State Rep. Tom Conroy of Wayland, who recently announced a run for U.S. Senate next year, will be at Freight Yard Pub on Sunday from 6:30 to 7:30 to speak with area citizens.

Wayland, a three-term Democrat representative, has been "walking" across the state to meet with people and discuss their concerns. He is a former  risk management consultant.

He is the fourth Democrat so far to eye a match up with Republican Sen. Scott Brown, who won a special election to complete the term of the late Ted Kennedy. Also planning runs are Newton Mayor Setti Warren; Alan Khazei, who came in third in the Democratic primary for the seat in 2009; environmentalist Robert Massie; and Salem immigration attorney Marisa DeFranco.
 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray joined local Democrats on Monday to kick off the final leg of the 2010 campaign season.

Some 75 party members and officials were on hand to open the campaign office at 31 South St., just recently the headquarters for Tom Bowler's successful campaign for sheriff.

"We forged some tremendous and wonderful friendships - we hope everlasting friendships - we developed some fantastic partnerships working from this location," said Bowler. "We wish the coordinating campaign all the success on Nov. 2 that we did on Sept. 14."

The get-out-the-vote drive may have greater significance on the statewide level where recent polls have Gov. Deval Patrick and Republican challenger Charles Baker in a dead heat than at the local level.

In the heavily Democratic Berkshires, the 1st Berkshire District and county sheriff were decided primary night when no Republicans chose to run. Going into the general election, only Democratic nominee Paul Mark of Hancock has a GOP opponent, Michael Case of Washington; both Reps. Christopher Speranzo of the 3rd District and William "Smitty" Pignatelli in the 4th District will be vying against Green/Rainbow Party candidates Mark C. Miller and Scott Lee Laugenour, respectively.

Patrick, on the other hand, is working hard to fend off Baker, former head of Harvard Pilgrim; Murray's opponent is Richard Tisei, state Senate minority leader. Trailing behind are Treasurer Timothy Cahill, running as an independent, and Green-Rainbow candidate Jill Stein for governor and Stein's running mate Richard Purcell for lieutenant governor. (Cahill's running mate Paul Loscocco jumped ship last week.)

Murray reminded those present that he was selected by them, not the governor, but kept his sharpest comments for Patrick's opponent. Baker, a state budget secretary in the 1990s, is running on his fiscal acumen, but Murray dismissed his reputation, saying he raised insurance premiums 150 percent while at Harvard Pilgrim and pointed to his role in the state's modern symbol of waste and fraud.

"The architect of the Big Dig financing plan now wants to be your governor," he told the appreciative crowd.

U.S. Rep. John W. Olver, who is facing Republican Bill Gunn, was supposed to attend but had to cancel. Also missing was Attorney General Martha Coakley, who was in Lee that morning and at The Berkshire Eagle in the afternoon, and Suzanne Bump of Great Barrington, who's running for auditor.

Olver's campaign manager Debra Guachione stepped in to make a pitch for the entire Democratic ticket. "Only four years ago, we broke a 16-year chain of Republican leadership," she said of Patrick and Murray. "Those governors wanted to be in Mexico, Canada, Washington and New York — not Massachusetts."

Murray said Patrick had the perfect cover for the leaving the state during its worst years: "The president of the United States asked me serve."

"But he didn't. He didn't cut and run," the former Worcester mayor continued.

Downing, a former Olver staffer, said it was important to return the Amherst professor to office.

"We need him to continue to be our voice on Capitol Hill," said Downing. "When Democrats remain in power in 2010 and when we make sure the president's agenda isn't stalled by a party that just wants to say no to anything."

In addition to the candidates, the local party members attending included Mary K. O'Brien; Mayor James M. Ruberto, who gave a passionate plug for his friend Patrick; former North Adams Mayor John Barrett III, who has been a strong backer of his former mayoral colleague Murray; Daniel Bianchi; Sherwood Guernsey; and Pittsfield Councilors President Gerald Lee, Christine Yon and Melissa Mazzeo.

Field organizer Josh Hochberg said the vote drive would depend on "friend banks," to prevent people from being inundated with phone calls.

"Open up your cell phone, open up your address book and call your friends," he said.