Democrat Claire Naughton, in the wake of her loss in the closely contested race for State Representative, began by thanking the hundreds of volunteers and thousands of voters who made her campaign possible.

"We ran a campaign about the real challenges facing our communities," Naughton continued, "and I am confident that the people who worked on this campaign and the people who cast their vote for me will continue to work to accomplish the things for which we fought this campaign."

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Throughout an intense general election campaign, Naughton has kept her focus on the issues that matter to voters, while her Republican opposition has resorted to a negative campaign. When Jay Barrows' tactics began to include the publication of outright untruths about Naughton, her record, and her positions, Naughton called a press conference to set the record straight and call on Barrows to discontinue his misleading tactics.

"[...] I believe this year these tactics will be rejected and that the voters see through them. I am confident going into this last week that the work we have done to demonstrate real commitment to this community will win the day."

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"Apparently Jay Barrows thinks he can just saying anything to get elected, but the voters see through these smear tactics," said Rebecca Wilsker, Naughton's campaign manager. Wilsker described at least four items from the Barrows campaign that are plainly untrue including claims about debates, taxes, and illegal immigration. "It is totally irresponsible for a candidate for public office to attempt to mislead the voters," Wilsker added.

Naughton, who has been campaigning for State Representative for most of this year, was incredulous about the mailings. "I've talked to thousands of voters across this district. Every day I'm out there. Everyone in the district knows where I stand, knows I've been upfront about every issue, and knows I will work to increase local aid to fund schools and police departments and decrease property taxes. I'm disappointed. People want honesty."

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Foxboro Event a Success for Rep. Candidate

In a rousing show of support, Norfolk District Attorney William R. Keating, State Senator James Timilty, and Foxboro Selectman James Thrasher toasted State Representative candidate Claire Naughton Friday night at the Lafayette House in Foxboro. The three men, all of whom represent a portion of the State Representative district for which Naughton is running, were enthused about Naughton's candidacy and repeatedly praised her strong community ties and knowledge of the issues.

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Calling a recent press release from Republican Jay Barrows' campaign for State Representative "totally at odds with the facts," Claire Naughton's campaign set out to set the record straight.

"Jay Barrows is trying to claim that Claire was not agreeing to debate, but back in September they both agreed to terms for three debates, one in each town," explained Rebecca Wilsker, Naughton's campaign manager. "Since that time, Barrows has repeatedly changed his mind and asked for additional forums entirely on his own terms."

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Notwithstanding the rain and cool temperatures, there was a flurry of activity before the annual Town meeting on October 11th at the Yelle School in Norton. As residents hurried from their cars to the door of the school, the candidates for State Representative and State Senator stood with supporters, shaking hands and introducing themselves. When the meeting started at 7:00 pm, however, all the candidates and their supporters packed up and went home, except State Representative candidate Claire Naughton.

Early in her campaign, Naughton pledged to attend every town meeting in every community, and she has continued to keep that promise to voters. "I think it's incredibly important to attend these meetings," Naughton said. "Representing a community isn't just about being there on the flashy issues that draw attention. Real representation is about knowing what's s going on in the community, knowing what people are concerned about, knowing what needs to be done here."

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In the short time since Claire Naughton obtained 60% of the vote in the September 19th Democratic Primary, the candidate for State Representative in Foxboro, Mansfield, and Norton has gained strong endorsements from key political figures and prominent organizations.

Congressman Barney Frank, Norfolk District Attorney William Keating, State Senator James Timilty, State Representative Louis Kafka, and Foxboro Selectman James Thrasher, as well as former candidate for State Representative Paul Feeney joined the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, Massachusetts Nurses Association, and the Coalition for Social Justice in supporting Naughton's candidacy. Naughton said she was thrilled by such a rousing show of support.

The endorsements of Frank, Timilty, Keating, and Thrasher, who represent portions of the 1st Bristol district in their respective capacities, were especially significant. Congressman Frank praised Naughton, saying "Her background and commitment make her ideally suited to work on improving our educational system, and there is no more important issue facing Massachusetts."

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