LEOMINSTER - Fitchburg Mayor Lisa Wong on Monday lent her support to state Rep. Jennifer Flanagan, D-Leominster, in her bid for state Senate.

Wong said while she was working for the Fitchburg Redevelopment Authority she was impressed by Flanagan's work to bring money to regional services.

"I knew about the work that Jen Flanagan did before I knew Jen Flanagan," Wong said during Flanagan's campaign kickoff at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel.

Flanagan, 32, is running against former Gardner State Rep. Brian Knuuttila -- also a Democrat -- for the Worcester/Middlesex seat, which represents 11 cities and towns. State Sen. Robert Antonioni announced earlier this year he is not running for re-election.

Wong said in her speech Flanagan is a viable candidate for the seat.

"She's a person who's a worker," she said. "She's a fighter, she's a leader, and she's going to be your next state Senator."

Antonioni and Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. also spoke in support of Flanagan to the just under 200 people who attended.

"She's intelligent, and she's aggressive, and she's got a nice way about her," Antonioni said after the event.

"She understands that a large part of politics is making connections. She can go far. It makes me feel good that I can support her."

Antonioni told the audience Flanagan will not need a lot of time to get accustomed to the Senate.

"After she's been in office for a few months, you're not going to remember Bob Antonioni," he said.

Early credited Flanagan for her work pushing for public-safety legislature, including her introduction of a bill to prosecute adults who knowingly harbor runaway minors, which Early supported in testimony before the Statehouse.

Flanagan addressed the crowd and said she's prepared for the 19 weeks of campaigning before the Sept. 16 primary, which will be the only face off between her and Knuuttila.

"It's all or nothing this time," she said. "I'm ready for this fight. They can throw me anything they want."

The two-term representative said the decision to vie for the Senate was difficult.

"There's another 110,000 people out there that I want to be responsible for," she said of the population beyond Leominster.

Flanagan said she will be focused on residents' basic economic needs, as well as public safety, transportation, education funding and domestic violence issues throughout her campaign.

Charles J. Faris, the president and CEO of Spectrum Health Systems Inc. -- a drug and alcohol treatment program with an office in Fitchburg -- said he worked with Flanagan through the House Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse.

"I deal with a lot of people that work in state government, and the big thing you look for is whether they'll get back to you, not just at fundraising time," Faris said. "(Flanagan's) genuine."

By Marisa Donelan mdonelan@sentinelandenterprise.

Article Launched:05/20/2008 10:00:31 AM EDT
Sentinel & Enterprise