Manning Announces Bid for State Senate

Mary-Ellen Manning told the Neighborhood Association Tuesday night that she will run for the state Senate seat being vacated by .

Manning, a Peabody resident, who currently serves on the Governor's Council, called Berry “an icon.”

“I don't believe that anyone can measure up to Fred Berry. But I will do my best,” Manning said.

Before announcing her plans to run for the Senate at the , Manning said her record on the Governor's Council is that “I stand up for what I think is correct.”

She cited as an example her exposure of one candidate running for a judgeship. Manning said the candidate's wife was raising campaign contributions to help her husband by giving other people money to reimburse them for writing campaign checks.

Manning said she also worked to end the practice of allowing judgeship candidates to make campaign donations to the council members and other elected officials right up to the day they were appointed.

That practice was legal, she said, but she refused to vote for any candidates who made those contributions.

The law now is that judgeship candidates cannot make donations within a year of being appointed, she said.

She also said she campaigned to get the legislature to establish minimum standards for judges.

Manning said she believes that the eight-member Governor's Council is a good way to ensure that the best candidates for judgeships are appointed.

Manning, a practicing attorney, was born in Danvers, grew up Peabody, lived and still owns two houses on North Street in Salem.

The election will be held next year.

Who do you think is the best match for Berry's seat? .