LYNN — Several mayoral candidates have already emerged following Mayor Thomas M. McGee’s announcement Monday that he will not seek re-election this fall.
City Council President Darren Cyr and longtime School Committee member Jared Nicholson immediately announced their intentions to seek the corner office, while rumors are stirring in Lynn regarding a potential run from former Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy and School Committee member Michael Satterwhite.
Cyr said that he is excited to run for mayor and that he has a lot of plans for the city.
“I think we can build new schools and bring market-rate units into the city,” he said. “I think we can also take care of the affordable housing issue that we’re plagued with.”
Cyr highlighted his dedication and loyalty to the city of Lynn, mentioning that he has been a city councilor for 16 years — including the past four years as council president — and raised his family in Lynn.
His two children graduated from Lynn schools and he was involved with their Little League and soccer. He said that Lynn has been moving in the right direction, and believes that he is the right candidate, at the right time, to continue the progress he said has been made in the city over the past four years under the current council and mayoral leadership.
“The future of Lynn has never been brighter, even during this difficult year with the COVID pandemic,” Cyr said. “Lynn is like no other community in the country. From our beautiful beaches and waterfront, to our jewel of a public golf course, to our commitment to preserving Lynn Woods (the second largest municipal forest in the nation), to our vibrant arts and cultural district, to our diverse racial and ethnic melting pot, Lynn has something for everyone. As mayor, I want Lynn to embrace and emphasize these characteristics and resources and help Lynn reach its full potential.”
He stated that his goal is to make Lynn the best it can possibly be so people can see Lynn’s vast potential and in turn, will want to raise their families there.
Nicholson said he is running to help with the city’s recovery from COVID-19 and to provide leadership for growth that includes all of Lynn. He wants to dig into Lynn’s strengths, which he lists as the city’s diversity, history, work ethic and heart.
“We must address the challenges that Lynn faced before COVID-19. We need better jobs, better schools, better housing, and more peace,” he said.
Nicholson described himself as possessing the types of qualities he thinks the next mayor should have, namely vision, experience, and energy. He said that his experience as a School Committee member over the past six years, his perspective as father and his skills as a lawyer and professor have prepared him to step up to the role as mayor, while remaining open and inclusive.
“I am running for mayor because I believe I can offer the forward-thinking leadership that the city needs in this moment to recover and grow together,” Nicholson said. “I look forward to a campaign full of conversations about the community’s vision for Lynn’s future.”
Kennedy said she has not given a run much thought yet, while Satterwhite said as of now, he is unsure of whether he will join the race or not.
As for potential candidates who have already turned down the opportunity, City Councilor-at-Large Brian LaPierre said that he will not run for mayor, but plans to run for re-election for his at-large seat on the council.
“I look forward to a spirited and safe campaign and wish Mayor McGee the very best and thank him for his many years of public service to the residents of Lynn,” he said.
The Lynn sector of the state delegation, all of whom are former Lynn city councilors, have all declared that they will not run for mayor either.
State Rep. Peter Capano (D-Lynn) said that as a new representative, he is only interested in working with the state delegation to bring much needed resources to Lynn and Nahant.
“I am grateful and thankful that we have good people like Tom McGee, who has dedicated his whole adult life to public service,” he said.
Capano plans to continue to advocate for public policy that will improve the lives of regular working people in the Commonwealth, but will do so from his position in the Statehouse.
State Sen. Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn) also wishes to remain in his seat at the Statehouse.
“I love my job as state senator and feel that I can best serve our district in my current role,” he said. “I thank Mayor McGee for his many years of leadership at both the state and local level. I know he will finish this term strong and that he will always fight for the people of Lynn.”
Crighton and Capano’s colleague, state Rep. Daniel Cahill (D-Lynn), thanked McGee for his years of service to Lynn and the Commonwealth, but does not have any plans to run for his position.
“I am very happy to be the state representative of the Essex district and I look forward to a spirited mayoral race,” he said. “I imagine it will attract many candidates, one of which will not be me.”
Allysha Dunnigan can be reached at [email protected].