Vargas Attributes Primary Win to ‘Hard Work’

Rep. Andy X. Vargas. (WHAV News file photograph.)

Andy Vargas, Democratic nominee for Third Essex District state representative, greets supporters. (WHAV News photograph.)

Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini endorsed City Councilor Andy Vargas during the victory party in downtown Haverhill. (WHAV News photograph.)

City Councilor Andy Vargas attributed his Democratic primary win Tuesday night to voters recognizing his door-to-door efforts to earn their support.

Vargas, who won 13 out of 14 voting precincts and secured 1,749 votes against opponent Paul A. Magliocchetti’s 1,077, told WHAV about his efforts and the issues be believes matter most to Haverhill residents.

“I think hard work resonates with voters and we showed a lot of hard work during this campaign. We showed what it truly means to be from Haverhill—that we’re going to stand firm for the values of economic opportunity, equality and justice. Ultimately, we affirmed that tonight. We showed the state and we showed a lot of folks what it really means to be from Haverhill.”

Magliocchetti, a Haverhill School Committee member, said he will resume working on his re-election to that body, beginning with a forum tonight that will be broadcast live by HC Media and 97.9 WHAV. He consoled his supporters.

“Positives are all the friendships, all the associations that we’ve made, everything that we learned. Like I said, we move forward, we congratulate the other team for a good campaign. We wish him well,” Magliocchetti said.

Besides thanking his wife and supporters, Vargas took time out during his victory speech to thank Magliocchetti and his team.

“I want to thank Paul and his supporters for working hard in the campaign because that is what democracy is about. It’s about choices. It’s about getting involved. It’s about getting people to the polls to participate in that sacred right to vote.”

Asked if the many endorsement he received, such as one from Rep. Jeffrey Sánchez, who succeeded Rep. Brian S. Dempsey as chairman of Ways and Means, will help him in November.

“Endorsements are nice and I’m very grateful for them. I think it shows I have the ability to collaborate with folks of different political backgrounds, ideologies and thoughts. But, ultimately voters are smart. They’re going to make their decisions based off the issues that we talk about, the priorities that we discuss and the case that we make to them. That’s why I look forward to making that case from now to November.”

Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini, a Democratic State Committeeman, appeared at the victory party and formally endorsed Vargas.

The city councilor faces off against School Committeeman Shaun P. Toohey during the final election Nov. 7. Toohey, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary, garnered 499 votes. The Third Essex District represents about two-thirds of Haverhill residents.

A water main break on route 110 forced residents who vote at Northern Essex Community College to take detours in order to cast their ballots. Handicapped voters also found the path to the college’s Student Center difficult to traverse. Northern Essex had scheduled a college fair on campus prior to the date being set for the special election, and was forced to move the polling location.

Other residents were disappointed their neighborhoods were not within the Third Essex District, which covers two-thirds of the city. City Clerk Linda L. Koutoulas said people were understanding.

“They just didn’t understand that Haverhill has four different state reps instead of just one. I explained it and they were fine after I explained it,” she said.

25 thoughts on “Vargas Attributes Primary Win to ‘Hard Work’

  1. The lesson here is that ONLY a small amount of people are deciding on Haverhill’s future in the legislature. It is really sad so few people came out to vote in a very important election for Haverhill.

    • Fred, liberal democrats promote their agenda by manipulating language. Their use of the term “progressive” is simply the promotion of their immoral, illogical and illegal socialist platform. Literally nothing liberals stand for can be considered “progress” by its actual definition of the word by any sane person.

  2. Oh I knew this guy would win. After all this is the community that continues to re-elect Mayor Low-rent-tini. And they wonder why crime, run down properties and drug addiction is rampant in the city. Not sure what’s worse Shaun Ryan or Andy. I couldn’t vote for either without holding my nose. Race baiting, identity politics and divisive campaigning wins the day. Looks like we’ll have to endure Vargas and his crummy Obama impersonation for some time. Not sure who to congratulate here. LoL.

    • Gil, with everything we know about Andy….
      –He broke the law by interfering with Federal drug officials putting lives at risk in Haverhill
      –His father is a criminal invader hiding in the city from Federal ICE agents
      –He supports criminal invaders in the city raping women and bringing the drugs to the city killing his peers
      –He advocates for higher taxes to build new schools to support all the children of invaders in city schools
      –He did nothing while Hispanic students at Silver Hill were used as a pawn by the teacher’s union
      –He has literally no professional experience or expertise in anything

      ….what does it tell you? 1,749 people in Haverhill are either incredibly uninformed…or driven by an insane, dangerous progressive political ideology…or derive their living from big government….or are invaders themselves voting illegally in the city.

      Just goes to prove again….Never underestimate the intelligence of the American people.

      • Jack, can you cite (you know with a link) anything you’ve just posted?
        Being lenient on illegal immigrants or undocumented people is not good enough.
        Go ahead…

          • I guess you don’t have a reliable source to support your “assertions”
            It’s a pitiful when people feel the need to smear someone’s reputation in order to discredit them. Threatened by someone’s achievements at such young age. Blowing off his candle won’t make their opponents shine brighter but quite the opposite. I also guess we know who is lacking education here. We can see through your bias. It’s merely your opinion.

  3. Proud of all the hard work put in by volunteers for this campaign and proud of Andy for leading the way. This victory goes to show that progressive goals coupled with positivity, perseverance, and connecting on a human level can still win elections. Way to go, Andy—let’s do it all again for November!

      • Andy’s been pretty clear about those goals from the beginning but, since you ask, I’ll reiterate. Those goals include, but are not limited to: ensuring quality education for Haverhill students; fighting for quality, affordable healthcare for all; working on measures to help counteract climate change; supporting small businesses and creating new opportunities for small business owners; and creating jobs and promoting income equality.

        • I apologize if “progressive” was poor word choice on my part, I meant it in the literal sense of “happening or developing gradually” rather than in the political sense, as these goals are long-term and will take a great deal of work over time to achieve.

          • MCGC

            I appreciate that you clarified what you meant by “progressive.” I followed both candidates closely and I do not see how they are different on any of these issues. Who would not support these causes? Where do you think the differences are?

        • Has there EVER been a politician in the history of the planet who doesn’t support the things you list? The rhetoric and talking points are all nonsense, especially coming from Andy who is an unabashed race based candidate. It’s impossible to support two masters. You can’t advocate for all the things you list and then turn around and support criminal trespassers being in this country as a matter of public policy who are literally bankrupting the country socially and fiscally.

          • Do you mean in theory or in practice?
            Generally anyone for right to work laws I would argue is against livable wage.
            Anyone against improving ACA/Obamacare is against affordable healthcare. Something easily fixed. An increase of the individual mandate to $2500 would lower everyone’s (in and out of the program) premiums and costs and lead to more competition.
            Illegal aliens / undocumented workers are not the reason for deficits. They are either not enough revenues (i.e. tax wealth I would encourage a 3% estate tax on estates over $3m) or too much spending on military and entitlement programs or a combination of both. If I ran the zoo, it would be increasing revenues to solve the problems. Although I would not implement the annual estate tax mentioned without getting rid of nearly all income taxes. They would, if we did not cut income taxes, lead to a budget surplus roughly the size of the budget deficit we currently run.

  4. “Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini, a Democratic State Committeeman, appeared at the victory party and formally endorsed Vargas.”

    This is hilarious! Everyone knows Jimmy Taxes thinks Andy is an absolute joke. How many times has Jimmy literally ignored the kid? And yet, all the looney Haverhill liberals are cheering that two people who immensely dislike each other are representing their party. Too funny…….

  5. Hopefully JackHaverhill is crying at n his Cheerios this morning….after all the time he spent bashing Vargas on these comment boards, and it’s a landslide victory. Poor poor Jackie. I’m sure he’s just a peach to be around today….HAHAHA

  6. Woo hoo! Glad to see Andy won! Finally, a new voice instead of the same old, same old tired candidates who keep regurgitating themselves for any open seat.
    Andy’s got my vote in November! And as far as City Council, Magliocchetti absolutely does not. Let it be a lesson to Magliocchetti. Haverhill voters don’t fall for smear campaigns and pretending he didn’t write the infamous sound off. He can go sit down now and be humble.

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