U.S. Rep. John W. Olver held a fundraiser and event at the Log Cabin in Holyoke to celebrate 20 years in Congress.
U.S. Rep. John Olver, D-Amherst, left, talks to Massachusetts Gov. Deval L. Patrick before a celebration of Olver's 20 years in office at a function at the Log Cabin in Holyoke on Thursday.HOLYOKE – With redistricting threatening the future of his seat, U.S. Rep. John W. Olver celebrated 20 years in Congress on Thursday night and sent a message that he is planning to run for re-election though his wife is seriously ill.
“The signal is ... I am ready to go,” the Amherst Democrat said in an interview at The Log Cabin in Holyoke, where about 500 friends and supporters feted him at a campaign fundraiser to mark the anniversary of his election to the U.S. House of Representatives 20 years ago this month. U.S. Sen.John F. Kerry, Gov. Deval L. Patrick, Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray and Treasurer Steve Grossman were among top politicians to attend.
Olver announced he would run for re-election in December. Then he said he learned on March 31 that his wife, Rose, a professor at Amherst College, had contracted ovarian cancer. He said he has been driving her to a Boston hospital once a week for chemotherapy.
Olver paused and took a breath when asked if he could change his mind about running for re-election in order to spend more time with his wife and avoid frequent trips to Washington. He said he made the decision to seek re-election well before his wife was diagnosed.
“I have made the announcement,” Olver said. “This is one of those factors that will obviously weigh in the long run.”
“She’s in the midst of a series of procedures which will go on for some time,” he said. “It is going well thus far.”
Rose Olver attended last night’s event, but she was not available for an interview, said Debra Guachione, political director for Olver.
Redistricting is currently hanging over Olver’s head and sparking concern in Western Massachusetts. The state must relinquish one of its 10 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and speculation is that Olver’s 1st congressional seat could be combined with the 2nd congressional district of U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield.
Dennis B. Hale, an associate professor of political science at Boston College, said Olver is “the obvious candidate” to lose his seat partly because of his age. At 74, Olver is working when the great majority of people his age are retired. His wife’s illness is another reason Olver could retire from Congress, Hale said.
The Democrat-controlled state Legislature, which will vote on a new congressional map for the state, will be seeking to create nine seats that are as Democratic as possible, Hale said. Democrats might want to divide up Olver’s sprawling, liberal-leaning district to help them achieve that goal, he said.
If Olver decided against seeking re-election, it would make it easier for the state Legislature to draw nine seats, Hale said.
Xinjun Gao of Amherst adjusts his camera before a photo is taken of him, Lijing Zhang, of Amherst and U.S. Rep. John Olver during a celebration of Olver's 20 years in office at a function at the Log Cabin in Holyoke on Thursday.“The pressure on him will be strong to retire,” Hale said.
Olver said redistricting is up to the Legislature. He smiled when asked if age would be a factor in deciding whether to run for re-election. “Not if I still think I can rock climb,” said Olver. “ I go when I have the time.”
Olver defeated Republican Steven Pierce of Westfield in 1991 in a special election to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Rep. Silvio O. Conte, a Republican. Before that, Olver was a member of the state House of Representatives from 1968-1972 and the state Senate from 1972 to 1991.
Olver grew up in Pennsylvania and moved to Amherst in 1962 to teach at the University of Massachusetts. He has three college degrees in chemistry, including a doctorate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Olver is currently No. 4 in seniority in the state’s U.S. House delegation, right behind Neal, who is No. 3. Olver is currently ranking Democrat of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and the only member of the delegation on the House Appropriations Committee.
In an interview, Kerry said he didn't want to consider the possibility that Olver could be serving his last term in Congress. Kerry said Olver gets an amazing amount of work done for his district and it’s appropriate to celebrate his years of service.
“He is at the top of his game,” said Kerry, who gave the keynote speech at Olver’s fundraiser. “He’s on a powerful subcommittee … which is key to a lot of us. He does not just work for the 1st district – He helps the state. I think it’s good for people to recognize his talents.”
Olver, who turns 75 in September, said he did not expect he would serve 20 years in Congress. “Time goes quick when you are having fun,” he said.
Olver said he plans to testify on redistricting during a hearing by the Legislature’s Redistricting Committee scheduled for 10 a.m. on Saturday at Pittsfield City Hall. Olver said he didn't plan to speak about redistricting at Thursday’s event.
Olver, one of the more progressive members of Congress, has 107 communities in his district, including the cities of Holyoke and Westfield. He represents almost 40 percent of the state’s land mass.
Olver said he will emphasize that there are five senior members of the state’s U.S. House delegation and each is a member of a prestigious committee including himself and Neal. The committee can consider clout when crafting new congressional districts.
“They can take that into account,” he said. “We've built up our seniority in committees and thereby have some opportunity to be particularly helpful to …. our districts and to the state.”
Sen. Stanley C. Rosenberg, D-Amherst, the co-chairman of the redistricting committee, has said every region of the state is concerned it will lose a congressional seat. Rosenberg has said a final congressional map may be ready by Thanksgiving, or possibly earlier.