Word: moakley
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...Moakley's campaign then became a step-by-step program to break down Hicks' seemingly impenetrable fortress and to build on his own base of support. As the highest vote-getter in the 1971 City Council election and with a 14-year record in the Massachusetts legislature, Moakley began the campaign with a sizeable constituency. And Senator Bob Cawley's redistricting scheme added Moakley supporters to the voter rolls...
There was another obstacle besides Hick's indomitable supporters and her immediate visibility as the incumbent. The Independent Moakley had staged his fight in one of the most traditionally Democratic districts on the map, and he was forced to spend much of his time convincing the voters of his Democratic loyalty. "I was trying to reaffirm my principles as a Democrat by giving the Democrats a real choice," he said. A pre-election survey of the 9th District electorate showed that the battle plan had worked--only 10 per cent would vote against Moakley because of his independent status...
...Moakley, however, used this factor to explain the defeat in his own South Boston neighborhood: "People felt I'd left the church," he said. "But I'll be a Democrat when I get to Washington and I'll run as a Democrat in the next election...
...MOAKLEY FORCES zeroed in most strongly on the black inner city wards and the suburbs, hoping to cash in on Hicks's "un-favorability factor" in those areas. Weekly mail drops spelled out Moakley's stand on the elderly, income maintenance, housing reform welfare, and other reformist issues. The strategy paid off on election night as the black wards "went overwhelmingly Joe--they saved us in the city," and the suburbs handed him a 3600 victory margin...
...election night, the Moakley victory was irreversible. Inside the Hilton ballroom. O'Neill introduced hundreds of Moakley supporters to "the next congressman of the 9th congressional district" as Moakley and his wife flashed victory "Vs" to the rejoicing capacity crowd. Amid the cheers, someone menponed that McGovern had conceded, but the news was squelched in the triumphant uproar. "He's dynamite, isn't he?" swooned one admirer as Moakley began to speak...