It's O'Leary vs. Garlick for state representative

Published by The Boston Globe

Needham Selectman Denise Garlick won the Democratic nomination and will face off against Republican winner John O'Leary in November to fill the state House of Representatives seat in the 13th Norfolk District, which is being vacated by state Rep. Lida Harkins.

Harkins, a Democrat, is stepping down after 22 years.


According to unofficial returns, Garlick had 2,798 votes to 2,570 for Needham Selectman Jerry Wasserman and 653 for sales executive Gary McNeill. Garlick is a community outreach educator for Wellesley College and a former president of the Massachusetts Nurses Association.

O'Leary, a Harvard University research fellow who was endorsed by U.S. Senator Scott Brown, defeated medical researcher Joshua Levy 1,690 to 652. O'Leary served in a number of high profile posts in the administration of former Gov. Mitt Romney.

The district covers Needham, Dover and parts of Medfield.

Garlick narrowly lost to Wasserman in Needham but made up for it in Dover and Medfield.

" I think the people who work in my campaign earned this result tonight,” said Garlick. “The work we began in the spring continues all the way, every day, to November 2.”

O'Leary swept to victory in all three towns.

"I think it's going to be very competitive. There are two good candidates out there," said O’Leary. "There are clear differences; for people looking to change the climate on Beacon Hill, I think they’re going to be looking at getting someone with fresh ideas."

Garlick, 56, has been running on the premise that she will address problems with the economy, healthcare and education.

She said her experience as a registered nurse has shown her the necessity of containing health-care costs. Garlick also said she would create jobs by promoting infrastructure projects, and pointed to her work revitalizing the Needham Business Park near Interstate 95.

She is cochairwoman of the Senior Center Exploratory Committee, which is seeking a site for a proposed new center, a former chairwoman on the Needham Board of Health and founder of the Needham Coalition for Suicide Prevention.

O’Leary has said he thinks Beacon Hill is inefficient partially because of the Democratic majority. He has said bipartisanship is necessary to create new ideas and represent different positions.

O’Leary led the Division of Unemployment Assistance, chaired the Civil Service Commission, and served as chief human resources officer under Romney, who was governor from 2003 to 2007. He has been on the Needham School Committee for 3 1/2 years.

O’Leary, 48, recently coauthored “If We Can Put a Man on the Moon: Getting Big Things Done in Government,’’ a book that analyzes how business management concepts could help improve government operations. He currently is a research fellow at the Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government.

The Republican candidate said he would streamline the state’s regulatory system, and eliminate waste by overhauling or eliminating laws that prevent state agencies from outsourcing work to private companies. He also said he would seek to cut the state income tax from 5.3 percent to 5 percent.

According to state campaign finance records, Garlick raised $32,191 this year through Aug. 27. She spent $26,032, leaving her with about $6,159.

O’Leary had raised $16,058 and spent $9,180, leaving him with about $6,878.