Working hard to be No. 2

He wants to be Lt. Gov. Slattery

By John Laidler, Globe Correspondent, 12/2/2001

EABODY - Thanksgiving was an unusual day for state Representative John P. Slattery.

For the past year and a half, the Peabody Democrat has criss-crossed the state in pursuit of his party's nomination for lieutenant governor, attending barbecues, picnics, parades, and assorted party gatherings.

But on Thanksgiving, Slattery remained at home with his wife and three children to enjoy a holiday meal and watch ''Planet of the Apes.''

''It was nice,'' he said of his idle time.

If it has meant a dearth of down time, Slattery's hectic life as a statewide candidate is apparently paying dividends. Over the past year, he has lined up an array of endorsements, from about 65 fellow state representatives and several prominent unions.

As of last week, Slattery had the field virtually to himself in his quest for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor. His only competitor is Sarah Cannon Holden of Lincoln, a relatively low-profile candidate.

That does not mean the road ahead is easy. According to her political advisor, Michael Goldman, former state senator Lois G. Pines plans to enter the lieutenant governor's race. A Newton Democrat, Pines has mounted three previous statewide bids, and should be a formidable contender for this seat. Other candidates may yet enter the fray. Slattery, who had hoped to run as a clean elections candidate, also has considerable fund-raising work to do now that the law will apparently not be funded.

But interviewed at Artie's Place restaurant recently, Slattery, 43, said, ''I'm very pleased with the way things are going right now.''

Slattery said his campaign forays from the Merrimack Valley to the Berkshires have put him in touch with scores of people ''who are interested in the Democrats taking back the corner office in 2002.''

Being on the road can been tiring, Slattery said. But the response to his candidacy has been ''very strong. And that gives you a lot of energy to keep going.''

For better or worse, Slattery remains best known for his decision to reverse his position on the death penalty in 1997 and cast the deciding vote against the measure. Although he took his share of knocks over that move, Slattery said he continues to believe it was the right vote. And he views the issue as an overall plus for him on the campaign trail.

''A lot of people in the Democratic party are opposed to the death penalty. ... It's really given me an entree into'' Democratic activist circles, he said.

His stance on the death penalty is only one of the issues that has made Slattery appealing to party activists. A member of the liberal voting bloc in the House, Slattery has been a leader on bills to increase the minimum wage, strengthen gun control, and improve teacher pension benefits.

Democratic colleagues who have joined with Slattery on such issues praise him for his passion and intellect.

''He's been a great progressive voice in the chamber,'' state Representative Michael E. Festa of Melrose said. ''For the broad spectrum of issues that I care about, and which I think good Democrats care about, he's been there and he's not been a shrinking violet.''

On the campaign trail, Slattery talks about the need to improve education through reducing class sizes, providing all-day kindergarten, and improving teacher compensation. He also wants the state to do more to help struggling hospitals, and to expand access to health care.

The journey that brought Slattery to the political spotlight has not always been easy. His parents divorced when he was about 5, and his father died in a car accident when he was 10.

Slattery's first years were in Lynn, where his family lived in public housing. He then moved with his mother and siblings to Peabody. Later, after Slattery's half-brother died of a heart condition, the family returned to the Lynn housing developments. The year that Slattery entered sixth grade, the family moved to Saugus. He graduated from Saugus High School in 1976, and later moved to Peabody.

Living in public housing made an impression on him, Slattery said.

''I remember people struggling to make ends meet,'' he said. ''Looking at the issues that are priorities for me today, I think you can say it helped shape at least what I wanted to do.''

A 1981 graduate of Suffolk University, Slattery went on to receive a law degree from the university in 1984. He has practiced since then in Boston with his father-in-law, Ronald A. Wysocki.

After a two-year stint on the Peabody Planning Board, Slattery was elected councilor at large in 1993. The following year, he won a four-way race for an open House seat. He has been reelected three times.

His electoral showings attest to Slattery's popularity in Peabody. Even in 1998, when he was under fire over his death penalty switch, he won handily over Democratic and Republican challengers.

''John's always been very accessible to people,'' said City Councilor at Large and Democratic State Committee member Joyce A. Spiliotis, who is supporting Slattery's statewide bid. ''He spends a lot of time in Peabody. He shows up at events, and he's got a wonderful personality. ... He has a lot of appeal.''

Slattery has had notably cool relations, however, with two key Democrats in Peabody - Mayor Peter Torigian and state Senator Frederick E. Berry. Neither is on his list of endorsements.

Slattery's perceived ambitious nature has sometimes raised eyebrows. Over the years, there have been reports of his interest in a variety of offices, from district attorney to mayor, state senator, and congressman.

But Slattery insisted such talk, while flattering, has not come from him. Since his days as a councilor, he said, ''I've never announced for any race other than rep and now lieutenant governor.''

With the terrain his campaign has covered to date, Slattery's schedule may yet grow more packed. In addition to raising money, he will be seeking pledges of support from people running in Democratic caucuses on Feb. 2 to choose delegates to the party's nominating convention.

But for all those political tasks, Slattery, who with his wife, Nancy, has a daughter and two sons, said he plans to continue putting in time when he can on the home front, including as a coach and spectator at his children's soccer and basketball games.

''I think it's important not to lose sight of that,'' he said.

This story ran on page 5 of the Boston Globe's North Weekly section on 12/2/2001.
© Copyright 2001 Globe Newspaper Company.