Candidates Already Sprinting Toward Nov. 5.

Above, Charles Bailey speaks at the Franklin VFW on Thursday.

Maybe its the dog days of summer that have candidates straining at the leash. John Deaton, one of the three Republicans hoping for a shot at taking on US. Senator Elizabeth Warren in November is making his second recent stop in Franklin today at Camp Haiastan on Summer Street at 3 pm to meet members of the region's Armenian community.

Friday night, incumbent State Rep. Jeff Roy
was slated to be visible, if not formally campaigning, providing musical entertainment for a Franklin Food Pantry benefit held at La Cantina.

And his challenger, Charles Bailey, spent Thursday evening with supporters at the VFW, his first major fundraising event. With a near capacity crowd, Bailey, introduced by wife Anna Bailey as her “hero,” provided insights on his life of service, in the Army’s famous 10th Mountain Division and back in Franklin as a member of the Franklin Fire Department. As he put it, “I've seen the end of life and the beauty of new life.” Bailey also has an extensive record as a coach of high school and collegiate hockey teams and has been an educator of future paramedics.

Speaking about his candidacy he revisited comments he made at the last Town Council meeting, chiding local and state leaders for their lack of transparency regarding Franklin’s overflowing migrant hotel and the costs and safety risks of exceeding legal occupancy limits. He contrasted that situation with the approach in Norfolk, where the state representative and town government worked together to keep the public engaged and informed about their sudden population increase.

Taking a swipe at other policies whose merist he questioned, particularly in the legislature, he concluded by promising to give Franklin a voice on Beacon Hill, “a voice of common sense and reason,” he added.