Stephen Lynch Touts Blue-Collar Roots In Senate Bid Launch
BOSTON (CBS) - Congressman Stephen Lynch says he's ready to jump into the race for the United State Senate seat vacated by Secretary of State John Kerry.
Calling out Congressman Ed Markey for being part of the establishment and former Sen. Scott Brown's infamous truck, Lynch says he's ready to sprint toward the primary.
"This will be great, it's 90 days, it's a sprint," Lynch told WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Joe Mathieu. "You know, I could stand on my head for 90 days, this is going to be a very quick race."
Thursday's interview was part of Lynch's official campaign launch. He went on to talk to diners at O'Brien's Corner in Springfield and had other stops planned throughout the day.
Listen to the full interview here
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So far, Markey is the only other candidate to officially announce his candidacy. Republican Scott Brown is rumored to be planning to announce a run in the coming week.
A primary is set for April 30 and the special election will be held June 25.
"The United State Senate has been somewhat of a private club," Lynch said. "I understand the establishment has chosen Mr. Markey but I also believe for purposes of democracy, the people of Massachusetts should have a say in who their next senator is."
Lynch pointed to his own background as an iron worker and his roots in the South Boston projects as reasons he can relate to the people of Massachusetts.
At O'Brien's Corner Thursday, Lynch said his blue-collar roots are needed in Washington.
"I strapped on a pair of work boots for 18 years as an iron worker," Lynch said. "I know what it's like to struggle, I know what it's like to stand in the unemployment line."
Lynch told Mathieu he wants to go to Washington to bridge the gap between the way U.S. senators see the world and the way Massachusetts people who are living day-to-day see it.
"Ed Markey was in Congress when I was strapping on the work boots every day as an iron worker," Lynch said. "I was a sophomore in high school. We are very different people and I think people know I'm much more moderate and our backgrounds are clearly much different."
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens reports
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Lynch also called out Brown's famous pickup truck, something Brown used in his original campaign for U.S. Senate to demonstrate he was a working-class politician. Brown won the special election for the late Ted Kennedy's Senate seat.
Brown lost re-election to Sen. Elizabeth Warren in November.
"I had a pickup truck too," Lynch said.
"Except my pickup truck was a different type of truck, it was a work truck. I didn't drive it from my law office to my house. I actually had tools in the back of my truck and a welding machine and drove it to the job site."
