Mannal Drops Out of State Senate Race; Will Retire From Politics

Mannal

CCB MEDIA PHOTO: State Representative Brian Mannal

HYANNIS – Second Barnstable State Representative Brian Mannal (D-Centerville) is dropping out of the Cape and Islands State Senate race and retiring from politics.

The Democrat made the announcement Thursday night in a Facebook posting, saying it “has been my honor and privilege to present the towns of Barnstable and Yarmouth on Beacon Hill.

Mannal initially announced plans to run for re-election to the House of Represenatatives, but earlier this year decided to seek the state senate seat being vacated by Democrat Dan Wolf.

“Earlier this year, I declared my candidacy for state senate. Today, I am announcing my intention to withdraw from that race and to retire from the legislature at the end of my current term as state representative,” he wrote in the online post.

Mannal initially won the state representative seat in 2012 by defeating then-incumbent Demetrius Atsalis. He won a close re-election in 2014 against Republican Adam Chaprales.

His departure from the state senate race leaves two Democrats in the running, including County Commissioner Sheila Lyons and Julian Cyr of Truro. Ben DeRuyter dropped out of the race earlier this spring.

The Republicans running for the seat include Barnstable Town Councilor James Crocker and former Ashland Town Manager Anthony Schiavi.

In Mannal’s post, he said the decision to walk away from politics was not made suddenly or without contemplation.

“I am compelled to share that my decision to end my campaign for state senate and to retire from politics at the end of my current term is not predicated upon any particular event, but rather the cumulative effect of many events over the course of my candidacy for and service in the state legislature since 2012. The events of this campaign and past campaigns have taught me the value of the family time that many people take for granted,” he wrote.

Mannal had a dust-up with Cyr last month when Cyr’s campaign admitted they conducted what’s known as opposition research on Mannal and other candidates in the race. That research led to the discovery of a previous civil arrest warrant related to a landlord-tenant dispute that had already been disposed.

Mannal has also battled Republican-leaning political action committees, suing over campaign literature he said was false.

Read the entire text of Mannal’s Facebook post below:

Dear Friends, Neighbors, Constituents and Voters,

For the past four years, I have been blessed with the opportunity to serve as the state representative for the Second Barnstable District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. In doing so, I have fulfilled a life long dream of serving in the state legislature, and it has been my honor and privilege to represent the towns of Barnstable and Yarmouth on Beacon Hill.

Earlier this year, I declared my candidacy for state senate. Today, I am announcing my intention to withdraw from that race and to retire from the legislature at the end of my current term as state representative.

I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to thank the people who have supported and encouraged me in my efforts to serve the community that I love. In particular, I would like to thank my wife, children, parents, legislative aides, campaign volunteers and donors. I would also like to thank the people of Barnstable and Yarmouth who have supported me in the past, from those who invited me into their homes to share their concerns and express their hopes for our community, to those who reached out to lend me a hand with my campaigns and those who contributed to my success in large and small ways. Finally, I would like to thank my legislative colleagues, including every current and past member of the Cape and Islands legislative delegation.

Please know that my decision to withdraw from public life comes neither suddenly, nor without thorough contemplation. I am compelled to share that my decision to end my campaign for state senate and to retire from politics at the end of my current term is not predicated upon any particular event, but rather the cumulative effect of many events over the course of my candidacy for and service in the state legislature since 2012. The events of this campaign and past campaigns have taught me the value of the family time that many people take for granted.

At times, I have loved being state representative and I will always consider it an honor to have been entrusted with the responsibility of advocating for our community in Boston. But I have never loved the time that it takes away from being a husband and a father, nor the strain that being a politician can cause one’s family.

I am proud of my service in the state legislature and to our community. As state representative, I have helped to increase funding for our public schools, honored a fallen soldier and childhood friend with a lasting veterans memorial, helped to secure funding for services for the child victims of sexual abuse in our region, and enabled the preservation and protection of our environment. I have been an advocate for animal rights, civil rights, and social justice. I have strived to do what is right, as opposed to what is popular and wanted nothing more than to be an effective representative for our community on Beacon Hill.

The only thing I love more than Cape Cod is my wife and my family. Sadly, the unpleasant, hostile and frustrating experiences associated with running for and serving as a public official take a toll on one’s personal and familial life. Given the fact that the dark side of politics cannot be avoided in our current political system, I cannot in good conscience subject those whom I love to foreseeable pain by continuing to seek public office.

Therefore, it is with a heavy heart that I withdraw from the Democratic primary for State Senate. My desire is to now focus on what matters most to me- my family and the next stage of my professional life, whatever that may be.

In closing, I hope that my decision to withdraw from the Democratic primary for state senate will not be interpreted as anything other than a testimonial to my wisdom, for it is wise to make this announcement now, at the beginning of summer on Cape Cod.

Sincerely,
Brian Mannal

 

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