One in: Vargas Formally Enters Race to Replace Rep. Dempsey

Haverhill City Councilor Andy Vargas Thursday became the second formal candidate vying to succeed Rep. Brian S. Dempsey at the State House.

Vargas joins School Committee member Paul A. Magliocchetti as formal candidates for the Third Essex House seat. Both are Democrats. Vargas took out nomination papers from the Haverhill City Clerk’s office just as they became available. The party primary election takes place Tuesday, Oct. 10, with a final election coinciding with the final municipal election Tuesday, Nov. 7.

“I believe that the best way for me to serve Haverhill is by being a tireless advocate for our city on Beacon Hill,” Vargas said. “Our next State Representative will have big shoes to fill, but I know that through the collective efforts of this community-driven campaign, we can ensure that Haverhill maintains a strong voice in Boston.”

The primary election is Tuesday, Oct. 10.

In announcing his intention to run, Vargas also presented endorsements from City Council Vice President Melinda E. Barrett and City Councilors William J. Macek and Michael S. McGonagle. Vargas was first elected to the City Council in 2015 at the age of 22.

“Chairman Dempsey is one of the reasons that I first got into politics, and his example gave me the courage to run for office at a young age. His strong and effective leadership in the State House will be deeply missed by so many of us.”

Although he will appear on both the state representative and city council ballots, Vargas said he intends to focus on his State House campaign. Should he win both seats, he told WHAV, he would resign from the City Council.

In her endorsement, Barrett said, “In Andy’s time as city councilor, I have seen his work ethic first-hand. This is the tenacity we need in our next representative at the State House. Andy is willing to look at many sides of an issue and then work towards a solution. He is always prepared, thoughtful and open to all ideas. Andy is an incredibly capable leader with a fresh perspective on the issues facing the residents of Haverhill.”

Macek added,  “My experience as a Haverhill city councilor has given me the unique opportunity to work with dozens of local and state public officials. From the first time I met Andy Vargas, I knew there was something special about him. After working with Andy for the last few years as colleagues on the City Council, I can say with confidence that Andy is what we need in our future. Andy is smart, capable, does his homework and works to deliver what is best for the people. He cares and will make a great State Representative for Haverhill. Andy is the real deal. He’s got my vote and I encourage you to also support Andy Vargas for state representative.”

McGonagle also endorsed Vargas. “What has impressed me about Andy is his passion about issues that impact individuals, neighborhoods, and the city as a whole. He stood tall with myself and the majority of councilors in demanding a renewed commitment to public safety priorities. I trust he will become a valuable asset to Haverhill, much in the same way Mr. Dempsey did so many years before.”

Vargas is a graduate of Haverhill High School and Boston University. In addition to serving on the City Council, he is senior marketing manager at Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll), an organization that creates jobs and economic opportunity by helping budding entrepreneurs. He resides on Washington Street in Haverhill with his wife Rikelma.

9 thoughts on “One in: Vargas Formally Enters Race to Replace Rep. Dempsey

  1. Andy thinks his constituents are illegals. Not good for the people, we the CITIZENS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, who are REQUIRED to pay for these criminal invaders, and not good for The City of Haverhill.

  2. Mike McGonagle…you’re kidding right? Andy Vargas “stood tall” on public safety?
    When a young Spanish girl, very close to Andy in age, was dragged into the woods at a Haverhill city park by two criminal illegals trespassing in this country Andy said and did nothing. No one represented Andy’s constituency of a millennial of Spanish decent better than this young girl, yet Andy was no where to be found in supporting her and the vicious crime committed against her. Neither did you, Mike.

    Let’s take a look at Andy’s actual resume since he’s been a city councilor.

    We learned recently that Andy’s parents entered this country illegally when he boldly shared that news at a democrat convention. He didn’t seem to blink acknowledging that his parents broke the laws of this country as criminal trespassers. When he spoke about his father working in factories in Haverhill he seemed to take pride in the fact that his father was taking jobs that otherwise would have gone to American citizens. Is it any wonder Andy goes out of his way to help criminal invaders seek safe haven in Haverhill?

    Andy posted warnings on Facebook to criminal trespassers from other countries in Haverhill illegally when he learned that the Federal Government and ICE was in the city doing their job. As an elected official with a sworn duty to protect the best interests of Haverhill citizens, there Andy was aiding and abetting criminals breaking the laws of this country. Andy went out of his way to assist these criminals in the commission of a crime. In the real world outside the insanity of liberal politics in this state he would have been arrested for treason. But he wears his support of criminal invaders in this country as a badge of honor.

    Let’s not forget Andy last year providing translation assistance to a non-English speaking criminal trespasser at a school committee meeting. Andy helped this person who wasn’t even a citizen of this country to participate in a public meeting for which she had no legal rights to do so. Again, Andy putting the rights of criminal trespassers above laws.

    Andy loves to show up for photo opps, like when he stood in Swasey Park after a gang shooting during a Little League game. But where is he after the fact? Andy supports and promotes sanctuary city policies which enable gangs and drugs to flow easily into Haverhill. These are the drugs that are wiping out millennials Andy’s own age. You would think with this being his very constituency he’d do something…..and he has. He’s supported the people who bring the drugs into the community that are wiping out his peers, and his Facebook warning about ICE being in the city proves it.

    Andy now has a well documented track record of who he is, and what his priorities are . When he intentionally went out of his way to undermine the efforts of the Federal Government in doing their job by helping criminal trespassers seek safe haven in the city, it is very clear who his main constituency and priority is. With news of his parents, we now know why he’s a pro-sanctuary city advocate putting the interests of criminal invaders above Haverhill citizens.