Nuciforo, a Democrat, will run against Olver in the primary, but first must wait to see if Western Mass. keeps both its Congressional seats. Watch video
Former State Senator and current Berkshire County Middle District Register of Deeds Andrea Nuciforo appeared on WGBY's "Connecting Point" recently to discuss plans to unseat U.S. Rep. John Olver in 2012.
Nuciforo, a Democrat, plans to run against Olver in the primary, but first must wait to see how the state's redistricting process pans out, as state legislators redraw Congressional maps. Massachusetts lost one of its 10 Congressional seats after the results of the 2010 census showed its population growth did not keep pace with other states.
"The real issue is whether we can fight hard enough to keep two seats headquartered in Western Massachusetts," said Nuciforo, who has been offering regular testimony at the hearings held around the state by the Special Joint Committee on Redistricting, including the first hearing in Springfield.
Nuciforo has a lot at stake as the committee redraws Congressional districts. Already seeking to unseat an incumbent in his own party, Nuciforo would have to run against both Olver and Richard Neal, D-Springfield, if Western Mass. sees its two districts merged.
Neal and Olver have both made clear their intentions to seek reelection in 2012.
There has been significant speculation that the less densely-populated western part of the state would see its Congressional representation cut, but the seniority of its two Congressmen, Olver and Neal, could be a factor in maintaining two seats.
During his interview with WGBY's Jim Madigan, Nuciforo made the case that the rural 1st Congressional district, which he is seeking to represent, fits the description of a "community of interest," one of several considerations the committee will weigh when redrawing maps. He said:
It's the small cities and small towns of Western Massachusetts. Cities like Pittsfield, my hometown, Westfield, Easthampton, North Adams, Greenfield — those kinds of communities. There's a logic for this kind of a drawing, of these two districts. It makes sense to put together small cities with a manufacturing pedigree that have a common history that are struggling to find their way in the new economy.
Pressed by Madigan to outline why he was more fit to govern than Olver, Nuciforo declined to levy any attacks against his fellow Democrat, saying simply that "voters deserve a choice."
He cited primaries in two of the areas district attorney races, Hampden County and the Northwest Region, which saw contested races and significant public interest as a result.
"There has not been a meaningful Democratic primary for either seat in Western Massachusetts in the United States Congress since 1991," he said. "Giving Democratic primary voters a choice once every 20 years is not too often."