From the Lynn Daily Item:
http://www.thedailyitemoflynn.com/articles/2008/09/09/news/news18.txt

Revere candidate looks to unseat Markey
By Thor Jourgensen / The Daily Item
REVERE - Republican candidate for Congress John Cunningham tracks his interest in politics back to the fourth grade where he sported an "AuH2O" button supporting Barry Goldwater's bid for president.

Goldwater lost that 1964 contest and Cunningham's campaign to unseat veteran U.S. Rep. Edward Markey is a long shot. Nevertheless, Cunningham is one of the few Republican candidates giving Democratic incumbents a run for their money in the fall elections.

The 52-year-old software consultant and Overlook Ridge resident labored on Libertarian Party campaigns before supporting GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul earlier this year.

"Government should not stick its nose into our lives," Cunningham said by way of defining his core political philosophy.

He said voters in Revere and surrounding 7th Congressional District communities have one issue on their minds: Gasoline prices.

Cunningham says it's time to cut energy costs across the board by eliminating taxes on renewable resources, including wind and solar power, and equipment like wind turbines and solar panels.
"I call it the Cunningham Cut: It solves energy independence and global warming."

He admits he has "zero chance" of debating Markey but, if he did, he would call the Malden Democrat to task on gas prices. Markey released two proposals this summer aimed at combating rising prices, according to his Web site, including one that requires federal regulators to use "realistic and rational gas price assumptions" in setting fuel economy standards.

Cunningham also favors scaling down the size of the federal government by eliminating the Department of Education and other bureaucracies.

"We don't need the feds telling us what to teach," the father of a 22-year-old college graduate said.

He also is for a hands-off approach to resolving the foreclosure crisis.

"It's not good for the economy to bail out everyone who makes a bad decision."

The Markey-Cunningham race is the only one Revere residents will decide in the Nov. 4 final election besides the presidential election.

The contest between U.S. Sen. John Kerry and Gloucester Democrat Edward O'Reilly headlines next Tuesday's primary. In what will likely be their only staged debate, O'Reilly last Friday accused Kerry of not doing enough to help other Democratic candidates, a charge Kerry called "plain, flat untrue," according to the State House News Service.

Kerry said he was proud of his record, and eager to return to Washington to continue his work. He repeatedly linked himself to Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama, noting that he was the first elected official of national standing to endorse Obama.

Two other November contests include U.S. Rep. John Tierney versus Republican Richard Baker of West Newbury and state Rep. Lori Ehrlich faces Republican John Blaisdell.

Voters in November will also weigh in on ballot questions proposing decriminalization of marijuana, banning greyhound racing and eliminating the state income tax.