Bill Callahan named North Andover Democrat of the Year – Wicked Local

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Bill Callahan accepts the honor of North Andover Democrat of the Year at Salvatore's in Lawrence.

Bryan McGonigle, Wicked Local

Hes known for his financial acumen, service to the community and loud mouth on social media. And now, the North Andover Democratic Town Committee has named Bill Callahan as Democrat of the Year.

Callahan who taught social studies in Brookline and New York State before jumping over to the corporate world has served on the towns Finance Committee from 2014 to 2017 and is currently a member of the Community Preservation Committee.

Callahan accepted the honor at the groups annual Scholarship Breakfast and first thanked his wife and three kids, who he said are far more outspoken than he.

Its said Im outspoken. I dont even know if I crack the top three at 23 Lyman Road, Callahan laughed. If you think youve worked a tough room, just come to our kitchen.

Callahan, who was raised on the South Shore, has also been helping out with campaigns for the past few years, promoting Democratic and left-leaning candidates for local and state races: holding signs, spreading the word and being extra vocal on issues he cares about.

They say, a lot of the time that Massachusetts is a one-party state. And at this point, its almost kind of true, he continued. Weve got one party out there governing. And weve got the Mass. GOP meeting in garages of their benefactor, and they have about as much influence as an interpretive dance troupe.

And that would really be funny, except that those people whose ideas are so regressive they want to take us to paces we dont want to go anymore.

Callahan urged people in the audience to get active in the campaigns to come this year. Gov. Charlie Baker is not running again, so the corner office on Beacon Hill is wide open. And there are a slew of other state offices open.

I think politics is a term that gets a bad name. Harold Lasswell was a political scientist whose definition I used in my classes, and he said: Politics can be defined as who gets what, how and when. And when the Massachusetts Democratic Party practices politics, the citizens of Massachusetts benefit.

Our kids get great educations. Were number one in the country for education. Our citizens get health care. Were number one for health care coverage in this country. Our sisters and daughters get access to reproductive rights no matter what happens in June when the Supreme Court makes their decision. And our LGBTQIA+ citizens get the respect and the dignity they deserve by state law, and theyre protected.

As with every year, Sundays event included a straw poll including candidates for state and local races.

North Andover School Committee:

Democratic nominee for governor:

Sonia Chang-Diaz 10.43%

Maura Healey 89.57%

Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor:

Democratic nominee for attorney general:

Democratic nominee for secretary of state:

Democratic nominee for state auditor

Democratic nominee for Essex County District Attorney:

President Joe Bidens job performance

Support for Royal Crest redevelopment

Support for school renovation and building plans

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Bill Callahan named North Andover Democrat of the Year - Wicked Local