Dear Editor, 

There is a low profile, but important, race that deserves the attention of Reading voters who will take a Republican ballot at the March 6 Presidential Primary election.
Specifically, in addition to voting for GOP Presidential candidates, Republican voters in our new State Senate district will elect members of the Massachusetts Republican State Committee. 

The Fifth Middlesex District now consists of Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield, Melrose and Malden as well as precincts 1,2,3 and 8 in Winchester. 

As a member of the Reading Republican Town Committee, I would like to tell you why I'm supporting Al Turco for re-election to a four-year term on the Massachusetts Republican State Committee representing the Fifth Middlesex District. 

Al Turco is a Wakefield Selectman and a long-time Republican activist. He joined the  Wakefield Republican Town Committee in 2000 and chaired that committee from 2004 to 2009. In 2004, he chaired Richard Tisei's successful State Senate re-election effort against Democratic candidate Katherine Clark. 

In 2006, Al coordinated the volunteer effort for Lt. Governor Kerry Healey's gubernatorial campaign in our senate district. In 2010, he served as a Regional Co-Chair of Charlie Baker's campaign for Governor. 

In all of these capacities, Al worked tirelessly as an unpaid volunteer, dedicating his personal time to furthering Republican efforts and candidates in our district. Al is exactly the right person to represent our district, and unlike his opponent, Al Turco has been showing up to prove his commitment to our district. This is why I’m asking for you to pull a Republican ballot and vote to keep Al Turco as our Massachusetts Republican State Committee representative.

Al passionately believes that Massachusetts would be a better place in which to live if we had a vibrant two-party system that would better address the concerns of our citizens. 

Al has been endorsed for re-election to the State Committee by House Minority Leader Brad Jones, former State Senator Richard Tisei and the GOP's 2010 gubernatorial nominee, Charlie Baker. The Republican City and Town Committees in Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield, Melrose and Malden all voted to endorse him.   

Al has an impeccable reputation, is a hard worker and dedicated volunteer. Keeping Al Turco on the Republican State Committee is important to our party. 

Al Turco is a retired lawyer who specialized in business law. He's a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Harvard College and a Cum Laude graduate of Harvard Law School. In the past, he served on the Wakefield School Committee and as Wakefield's Town Moderator. Currently, in addition to being a Wakefield Selectmen, he is a Director of Wakefield Cooperative Bank and a Director of the Wakefield Chamber of Commerce. He and his wife Joanne live in Wakefield.  

Sincerely,

Kevin Sexton

20 Emerson St

Reading, MA