We have one final hurdle to jump, one final mountain to climb, and that is the General Election tomorrow.

We have received many new and diverse endorsements as well as write ups in the paper, but the true power lies in your hands.  With one day before the Election I ask you for three things:

1. Volunteer your time to stand at a poll and hand out literature;
2. Reach out to 10 of your best voting friends to let them know why you are voting for me and why they should too.  You can find your polling place here;
3. Make a donation to give our campaign the resources we need to carry out last minute efforts.

With your help I know we will win this race and together Get Boston Moving again!

Gratefully yours,

ANDREW KENNEALLY
Boston City Council Candidate, At-Large

p.s., After the polls close, join us at the Corrib Pub in West Roxbury for appetizers and a cash bar as we await the Election Results.

In another time, another Boston, Andrew Kenneally would have run for the Boston City Council with both feet firmly planted in the predictable confines of his West Roxbury roots.

But this is a different Boston, a “new Boston.” Four years before he ever thought of running for an at-large council seat, Kenneally migrated across town - leaving Westie to settle in the vibrant ethnic stew that is East Boston.

In the old Boston, a white, Irish kid who cut his teeth in Washington working for the likes of Joe Moakley and Harry Reid, would not opt out of the game to spend two years studying conflict resolution in places such as Belfast and Johannesburg.

But Kenneally, who is 34, was an infant when busing roared across the city and sent many scurrying for the presumed shelter of the ’burbs. He never subscribed to the tribal divisions that defined that Boston.

So, it is ironic that today Andrew Kenneally finds himself laboring under a stereotype that is a new twist on an old theme.

With two white, Irish-Catholic guys - John Connolly and Steve Murphy - presumed to have a lock on two of the four at-large council seats, Kenneally has had to confront a question that seems to apply only to him: Does Boston really need another white Irish guy on the council?

“It’s disheartening,” Kenneally was saying yesterday between campaign stops in Roxbury and Chinatown. “I’ve always believed labels are for jars, not people. I have a great deal of respect for the other people in this race. I know them and I’ve worked with them.”

He was Michael Flaherty’s policy director for three years and Maura Hennigan’s chief of staff for two years before that. So, Kenneally’s path crossed those of Ayanna Pressley, Felix Arroyo Jr. and Tito Jackson. His actual experience in the trench work of constituent service exceeds that of rookie incumbent John Connolly, who topped the primary field.

“The notion of diversity that I’ve always subscribed to,” Kenneally said, “takes in a whole spectrum, not black or white or brown, but more toward those infinite shades of gray.”

Because he has many friends in both mayoral camps, Kenneally has chosen to remain neutral in that race. But it did not diminish the sting of having his former boss, Michael Flaherty, ignore him on a list of at-large endorsements.

“I understand,” Kenneally said. “It was a ‘new Boston’ gesture. Well, I’m a part of that new Boston. And I’ll just go out and work harder.”

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/columnists/view.bg?articleid=1207754

Kenneally is no stranger to constituent issues big and small, having worked for former councilors Maura Hennigan and Michael Flaherty. In that role, for both, he was a constant presence at neighborhood meetings and a point man in getting problems solved.

Looking beyond the street level realm that is his strength, Kenneally also brings other worthwhile experience to the table. He holds a Master’s Degree in Ethnic Conflict from Queen’s University in Belfast and once worked for the late Congressman Joe Moakley.

What you will get with Kenneally is a hard-working, energetic councilor who understands the responsibilities the job entails. Having worked behind the scenes for so long, he is ready, willing and able to move to a seat at the table.

“Andrew is an excellent environmentalist with practical ideas on how to further protect our environment, increase smart growth and recycling, reduce Boston’s carbon footprint, and help move and prepare Boston’s residents for the new GREEN economy. The Sierra Club is proud to endorse his candidacy,” said Sierra Club Political Chair Phil Sego.

“As a Sierra Club member, someone who loves nature, recycles, and has worked to protect the environment for over 10 years as a top aide in Congress and on the Boston City Council, I am proud to have the Sierra Club’s endorsement. Being GREEN is not only the right thing to do, it’s the best way for us to be more energy and cost efficient during these difficult economic times,” Kenneally concluded

For a complete list of Kenneally’s endorsements, visit: http://andy09.com.

I am proud of how our campaign received support from all over the city. The network of volunteers and the infrastructure we built over the last year came out in force. But we must expand our network and push our organizing resources even further if we are to be successful again in November. We are so close to victory.

Now the real work begins. As former City Councilor Michael McCormack was quoted as saying in the Boston Herald, “the real race now is between fourth- and fifth-place finishers Pressley and Kenneally.” In 2005, City Councilor Sam Yoon went from 5th in the preliminary to 3rd in the general election, and in 2009, with your help, we can do the same.

With less than 40 days before the final election, I need your help more than ever. Sign up to join our campaign, host a coffee, make a donation, or volunteer a couple hours of your time because every little bit counts.

With your help I know we can be victorious on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 and together we will get Boston moving again!

Thank you again and onto November,

ANDREW KENNEALLY
Boston City Council Candidate, At-Large

Boston, MA | 9/09/2009 – With less than 15 days before the September 22^nd preliminary election, the Kenneally Campaign continues to pick up speed and strength with a new and diverse set of endorsements. 

This latest announcement comes on the heels of Greater Boston Labor Council’s endorsement and reflects Kenneally’s broad and deep support across the city:

• DotOUT
• Haitian American Political Action Committee
• Machinists & Aerospace Workers, Local 1726
• Massachusetts Humane Society
• Sprinkler Fitters, Local 550
• Teamsters, Local 25

“I am humbled by the support I am receiving. I believe it’s because I have a proven track record of helping people – not just some of our people, but all of our people. I know Boston’s best days lie ahead and I look forward to using my knowledge, experience and vision to help Get Boston Moving Again,” said Kenneally.

For a full list of Kenneally’s endorsements, visit: http://andy09.com/endorsements/.

]]> http://www.andrewkenneally.com/2009/09/more-endorsements-for-kenneally/feed/ http://www.andrewkenneally.com/2009/08/kenneally-campaign-temporarily-suspends-activities/ http://www.andrewkenneally.com/2009/08/kenneally-campaign-temporarily-suspends-activities/#comments Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:34:33 +0000 Andy http://www.andrewkenneally.com/?p=509

Candidate, Staffers Mourn Loss of Massachusetts Senator

Boston, MA – Thursday, August 27, 2009-The campaign to elect Andrew Kenneally announced late Wednesday evening that all campaign activities will be temporarily put on hold in honor of the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts.

The Senator’s dedication to public service has always served as a source of inspiration for Kenneally, who says that Senator Kennedy’s courage during his struggle with brain cancer gave him guidance as he faced his own diagnosis of a benign brain tumor eleven months ago.

“Senator Kennedy’s courage to fight until his very last day for the ability of all Americans to lead lives of opportunity is awe-inspiring. I pledge to, like Senator Kennedy did for nearly half a century on behalf of the people of Massachusetts, to advocate tirelessly for the concerns of the people of Boston,” Andrew Kenneally said.

“When I was diagnosed with a brain tumor that turned out to be benign eleven months ago, I remember drawing strength from Senator Kennedy’s ceaseless passion as he went to bat for struggling Americans even as he faced his own personal struggle with cancer,” Kenneally added.

Kenneally campaign activities will resume as scheduled on Monday, August 31, 2009.

For more information on Andrew Kenneally, visit: www.ANDY09.com

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Contact: Michelle Gauthier, Press Secretary—(617)-320-4756

Senator Kennedy was my senator and will be remembered by Bostonians - first and foremost - as a fighter.  For nearly a half-century in the Senate, Kennedy fought to reform our schools, strengthen our civil rights, help seniors and working families, lift up the poor, and to ensure every American has access to quality and affordable health care.

I will most remember him for the eulogy he gave for his brother Bobby in 1968.  The description he gave his brother also sums up what he was to many as someone who “saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it.”

I am proud of how our campaign has been working to recruit support from all over the city. The network of volunteers and the infrastructure we are building will give us an enormous opportunity to win.

In the last few weeks our campaign has been busy:

• Opened our first campaign office!  Please stop on in and pick up signs, bumper stickers, make calls or just say hi.  We’re at 258 W. Broadway in South Boston;
• Gained new and major endorsements, including the Greater Boston Labor Council, which represents over 90,000 workers from Boston and surrounding communities;
• Raised a significant amount of money and find ourselves a leader in cash on hand amongst the dozen challengers in the race;
• Knocked on doors and stood out with my supporters holding signs at rotaries from one side of the city to the other;
• Held house parties, coffees, and meet & greets in neighborhoods all across our city.

Because of our progress the Boston Phoenix recently called our campaign a favorite to win!  Now it’s time to expand our network and continue to get the word out to voters.  No matter where you live, our success will depend on your involvement.

Sign up to join our campaign now, host a coffee, make a donation and we’ll make sure you’re aware of all the latest news and opportunities to make a difference.

Boston, MA | 8/10/2009 – On Tuesday, August 4^th the Greater Boston Labor Council (GBLC) voted overwhelming to endorse At-Large City Council Candidate Andrew Kenneally.  This is a big win for Kenneally since many of the 150 unions that make up the GBLC endorse individually based on what they do.

GBLC Executive Secretary Treasurer Richard Rogers said, “Organized labor and working families have no better friend than Andrew Kenneally.  He is a man of conviction and deep-rooted values which we all share.  We are happy to be supporting him.” 

“I am honored and humbled to receive the endorsement of the Greater Boston Labor Council.  I know the tremendous burden this economy is putting on working families. With unemployment at an all time high and development at a standstill, I offer the knowledge, experience and vision to Get Boston Moving Again,” said Kenneally.

The GBLC represents 90,000 AFL-CIO workers from Boston and surrounding communities. The GBLC recognized Kenneally’s commitment and support for workers’ rights during his over five years as a top aide on the Boston City Council.

This announcement comes on the heels of numerous other endorsements that Kenneally has received over the last couple weeks further indicating labors’ confidence in Kenneally’s ability to Get Boston Moving Again.