Repeating his victory in September's preliminary election, Alderman at Large Joe Curtatone became the mayor of Somerville last night.
Curtatone, an attorney by profession, won by a margin of 658 votes: 7,563 Somerville residents voted for him, while 6,905 cast ballots for his opponent, businessman Tony LaFuente. Curtatone took six of the seven wards, nearly all of the city's precincts, and his margin of victory was 283 more votes than in September's three way primary.
"This was a big victory not for me but for Somerville itself," Curtatone said. "I will do everything in my power to carry my plans out and to earn the enormous trust the voters have placed in me."
Curtatone supporters crowded the VFW Logan Post in Teele Square after the polls closed at 8 p.m. As results from the city's 21 precincts were announced one by one, each Curtatone victory sent the crowd into rapturous applause. After his victory was announced, the crowd of over 400 rose and started chanting "Joe! Joe! Joe!"
"Can you feel it?" campaign worker Bob McWaters asked the audience, "We dig it." Curtatone arrived with his wife Nancy and infant son Cosmo at 9 p.m.
In his victory speech, Curtatone said his election indicated that voters approved of his platform.
"Today you voted for you real change," Curtatone said. "You voted to put Somerville back on the track. You voted to put Somerville back to work."
Curtatone has called for immediate development of Assembly Square, the introduction of zero-based budgeting in city government, and a crackdown on absentee landlords.
"They said I had too many plans, that I had too much substance," Curtatone said. "No one should underestimate the intelligence of Somerville voters."
Curtatone repeatedly thanked his campaign workers and family for their support. Many city and state officials were in the audience, including Massachusetts State Senators Charlie Shannon and Ward 4 Alderman Maryann Heuston.
"This election was won, make no mistake, because of the efforts of the people in this room," Curtatone said.
In turn, McWaters presented Curtatone with a plaque holding a worn-out pair of shoes. The superstitious Curtatone knocked on every door in the city wearing the same pair, even after the soles wore. McWaters said that Curtatone's endless door-knocking -- he visited voters for six to eight hours each day as the election drew near -- carried him to victory.
The emotional highpoint in the evening came when LaFuente arrived with his campaign advisers. After sharing a long embrace, the two addressed the audience and pledged continued cooperation.
Despite personal attacks and conflicts that sometimes erupted, both candidates praised each other last night for their campaign etiquette.
"This is the first time in a very, very long time, since the 17 years I've been here, that the mayoral candidates respected each other both during and after the election," LaFuente said.
LaFuente said his defeat did not mark the end of his involvement in Somerville. "I am going to continue to live in this city, and I am going to make myself available to our new mayor," he said.
Curtatone accepted his offer and encouraged LaFuente to meet with him. "I think he's a successful businessman and I think it's important to hear his ideas and for us to have open ended conversations," he said.
In his speech, Curtatone said the city would need all the help it could get in coming months. He said the city would lose $2 million in state aid this year, a problem he blamed on President George W. Bush and Governor Mitt Romney.
But despite the problems, Curtatone remained hopeful about Somerville.
"I love this city," he said. "If we work together our best days are ahead." Curtatone called on all citizens to help the city solve its current problems.
"We will find innovative ways to control costs and to increase development and receive the new income that comes with it," he said.
Last night, Curtatone's supporters were already looking toward the future. "Right here we are starting getting ready for two years from now, when we re-elect Joe," McWaters told the crowd.
For the next two months, Curtatone will work with outgoing Mayor Dorothy Kelly Gay as the city transitions between administrations. Curtatone will be inaugurated Jan. 5.
More from The Tufts Daily
