Political Notes: Pence to attend Nantucket fundraiser Saturday

By Geoff Spillane
Posted Jul 20, 2020

Event expected to bring in $1M for Trump reelection.

NANTUCKET — Vice President Mike Pence will be on Nantucket on Saturday for a campaign fundraising event.

A Republican National Committee official confirmed that around 30 people will attend the event, which is expected to raise $1 million for the reelection campaign of President Donald Trump.

According to the invitation, the event will be hosted by Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, Co-Chairman Tommy Hicks Jr., Trump Victory National Finance Chairman Todd Ricketts and Trump Victory Finance Committee National Chairwoman Kimberly Guilfoyle.

Tickets for the lunch are $25,000.

Pence is no stranger to the island, having attended a fundraiser hosted by McDaniel and Hicks there last summer

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There are two opportunities within the next week to hear from Democrats vying for a seat on the Barnstable County Board of Regional Commissioners.

The three candidates are Dr. Cheryl Andrews, of Provincetown; Mark Forest, of Yarmouth; and Sheila Lyons, of Wellfleet.

One candidate will be eliminated in a primary election Sept. 1.

An online candidates forum sponsored by Lower Cape Indivisible is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday. RSVP to bsmith@eastgate.net for a Zoom videoconference invitation.

The Cape and Islands Democratic Council, in conjunction with the Outer Cape Democratic Committee, will hold another online forum at 5:30 p.m. July 27. To participate, register at https://secure.actblue.com/donate/bccdems. A Zoom link will be sent on the day of the event.

Seats currently held by Mary Pat Flynn and Ronald Beaty Jr. on the three-member commission, which serves as the executive branch of the Cape’s regional government, are up for election this year.

Beaty, a Republican from West Barnstable, is seeking a second term. Flynn, of Falmouth, who has served in public office on Cape Cod for nearly three decades, announced earlier this year that she would not be a candidate.

The two Democratic candidates who emerge from the primary will face Beaty and Abraham Kasparian, of Yarmouth Port, who is running under the political designation “Independent Unifying Thinking,” in the Nov. 3 general election.

Joe Glynn, of Yarmouth, who suspended his campaign for county commissioner in April, recently said he is back in the race and running as a write-in Republican candidate in the primary.

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Beaty will be holding virtual constituent office hours through September via FaceTime or teleconference.

He will be available by appointment from noon to 2 p.m. Wednesdays. To schedule a meeting, call 774-994-2959 or email ron.beaty@barnstablecounty.org.

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State Rep. Timothy Whelan, R-Brewster, has been endorsed by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, which represents more than 23,000 members working at health care facilities throughout the state.

“As the son of a hard-working Registered Nurse, I know firsthand the dedication and hard work our nurses bring to their job every day and remain grateful for their continued good works during this pandemic,” Whelan said, expressing gratitude for the endorsement.

Whelan is seeking a fourth term representing the 1st Barnstable District. He faces a challenge from Democrat Josh Mason, of Dennis, in the Nov. 3 general election.

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Whelan has thrown his support to fellow Republican Steven Xiarhos, of West Barnstable, in the race for state representative in the neighboring 5th Barnstable District. Last week, Xiarhos received the endorsements of state Reps. William Crocker, R-Centerville, and David Vieira, R-Falmouth. Xiarhos and Thomas Keyes, of Sandwich, face off in the Sept. 1 Republican primary.

Jim Dever, of Sandwich, the only Democrat in the 5th District race, has received the backing of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, the Bay State’s largest health care workers union.

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Here’s what some local elected officials were tweeting about during the past week:

State Sen. Julian Cyr (@JulianCyr), D-Truro, on July 18:

″@repjohnlewis rests as a legend. His life is as much a testament to its triumph as it is a continuing struggle. There are people alive today who cheered on the Alabama state troopers as they beat him & fractured his skull — from deep in the south, to their TV sets in the north. Congressman Lewis liked to tell us that we had a moral obligation to do something if we were confronted by injustice. He called it ‘good trouble.’ With his passing, we can’t forget that there is still good trouble left to find, and still people worth finding it for.”

State Rep. Timothy Whelan (@TRWhelan), R-Brewster, on July 19:

“Friends, during these hot summer days our four-legged friends should not be left alone in the car. Even in the shade, or with windows cracked open, temperatures in the car can soar to dangerous heights. Leave Fido at home. He/she will appreciate it. Woof.”