Incumbents take Lynn’s two ward races

LYNN – Ward 1 and Ward 4 voters decided to stick with the incumbents in Tuesday’s city election, as councilors Wayne Lozzi and Richard Colucci held off challengers by large margins.”I am certainly pleased that they chose to return me,” said Ward 1 Councilor Wayne Lozzi, who received 1,871 votes or 61 percent of the votes cast to the 1,181 or 39 percent of the votes cast for challenger Bob Walsh.”I’m looking forward to continuing to serve the constituents in the city. It’s not complete, I still have more to do,” Lozzi said.Ward 4 Councilor Richard Colucci also won re-election, receiving 541 votes or 64 percent of the votes cast to the 310 or 26 percent of the votes cast received by challenger Ceferino Rosa.”I feel very happy,” Colucci said. “Every election is different and we work hard, and thank God we have help to do it, and I appreciate everybody coming out to vote.”Lozzi has represented Ward 1 since 2003.After Tuesday night’s results, he pledged to continue to work on the issues that are important to the residents in his ward.”I call it a to-do list of things that I’d like to accomplish,” he said. “I want to work with my colleagues and the mayor and see that the DPW gets the equipment that it needs. I would like to continue to advocate for state money for sidewalks and roadways in Ward 1, and I do want to continue to work on the parks.”Challenger Bob Walsh said that he was sorry he didn’t win and wished he had more time to campaign. He wished Lozzi well, however, and said he was pleased that he presented a challenge to the incumbent, saying that competition was how America worked best.”Mr. Lozzi had to go to work,” Walsh said. “He’s a good man, and hopefully he will continue to represent the ward and the city well.”Ward 4 challenger Ceferino Rosa said that he was disappointed in the results, but he planned to run again in the next election.”I told (Colucci) ‘do a good job, I’m going to be here,'” Rosa said after watching the results come in at City Hall.Rosa echoed Walsh’s wish that there had been more time. He said that he was hoping that high turnout would propel him to victory, but that his momentum came too late. Nevertheless, Rosa said that he would begin his preparations for the next race as soon as possible.”I’m going to prepare more than ever,” Rosa said. “We have to get everybody involved.”Colucci attributed his win – his ninth reelection since he first won the seat in 1992 – to his accessibility and his familiarity with voters. He said that in these difficult economic times, voters are glad to know that he is reliable and can help.Lozzi said he was pleased that voters seemed to feel that his work in “quality-of-life issues” – making improvements to the ward’s parks and recreation spaces, for instance – was positive.”I’m pleased my efforts shone through,” Lozzi said. “I think that people felt that I was headed in the right direction, and I hope to continue.”