Sciortino Talks Run for 5th Congressional District

State Rep. Carl Sciortino, who represents parts of Somerville and Medford in the state legislature, spoke to Joe Lynch on "Greater Somerville" this week about his run for Congress.

As the two discuss on the show, Sciortino has jumped into the race to represent the 5th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, which represents Stoneham, even though that seat, at the moment, is occupied by Ed Markey.

However, with Markey running for Senate in this spring's special election, and with recent polls suggesting Markey's the favorite to win, candidates, including Sciortino, are lining up to fill his seat in Washington.

David Bernstein, writing in The Phoenix, lists state Sen. Katherine Clark (D-Melrose), who represents Stoneham, and state Sen. William Brownsberger (D-Belmont) as already in the race with Sciortino.

Cambridge City Councilor Leland Cheung, state Rep. Kathi-Anne Reinstein (D-Revere) and state Sen. Karen Spilka (D-Ashland) are also seriously considering runs, Bernstein wrote. He also listed a number of other possible candidates, including names like Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, who also lives in Medford.

As Sciortino said on "Greater Somerville," "I expect it will be a crowded primary."

In regard to the current state of politics in Washington, especially as it relates to the "sequester" deadlock, Sciortino said, "It's not just gridlock, it's a disaster."

"It makes me really angry at times," he said.

As "Greater Somerville" notes, Sciortino, though he currently represents parts of Somerville in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, would not represent any of the city in Congress, should he be elected. Somerville is represented by its former mayor, Michael Capuano.

You can watch Sciortino on the show above.

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