Martin J. Dunn

Martin J. Dunn
Member of the Massachusetts Senate from the Hampden and Hampshire District
In office
January 1991 – 1993
Preceded byJohn P. Burke
Succeeded byShannon O'Brien
39th Mayor of Holyoke, Massachusetts
In office
1987 – February 6, 1991
Preceded byErnest E. Proulx
Succeeded byJoseph M. McGivern
Personal details
Born(1956-03-09)March 9, 1956
Holyoke, Massachusetts
DiedSeptember 11, 2020(2020-09-11) (aged 64)
Political partyDemocratic
RelationsMaurice A. Donahue (uncle)[1]
Alma materColumbia University
Suffolk University Law School

Martin John Dunn (March 9, 1956 – September 11, 2020) was an American lawyer and politician who served as Mayor of Holyoke, Massachusetts and in the Massachusetts Senate. Dunn served two terms as the Mayor of Holyoke before successfully seeking election to one term in the Massachusetts Senate before retiring after one term.

Early life

Martin John Dunn was born in Holyoke, Massachusetts, on March 9, 1956. He graduated from high school in 1974, Mount Herman Academy in 1975, Columbia University in 1979,[2][3] and Suffolk University Law School in 1982.[4]

Career

Local politics

Dunn served as an alderman in Holyoke, Massachusetts for two terms. In 1987, Dunn ran in the Holyoke mayoral election where he placed first out of three candidates in the primary, ahead of twelve-year incumbent Mayor Ernest E. Proulx.[5] During the campaign both Dunn and Proulx were investigated by the Massachusetts Ethics Commission.[6] Dunn defeated Proulx in the general election.[7] He was reelected in 1989.[8]

On February 2, 1988, the board of alderman voted eleven to four to not welcome Jane Fonda when she came to film Union Street which Dunn stated was a "disaster for the city".[9] Dunn declined the NAACP's call for an independent review of police brutality charges in 1988.[10] A Hispanic group withdrew its community service award for Dunn and disinvited him to a dinner after complaints of his support for the English-only movement.[11]

Massachusetts Senate

In 1990, John P. Burke announced that he would not seek reelection to the Massachusetts Senate. Dunn, who had previously considered running for Hampden County district attorney, announced that he would run for the Democratic nomination to succeed Burke, which was the seat that was held by Dunn's uncle Maurice A. Donahue.[12] He won the Democratic nomination and defeated Republican nominee Walter R. Bilski in the general election.[13][14]

Dunn was appointed to serve on the Local affairs committee and as chairman of the School committee.[15][16] He took office in the Massachusetts Senate in January 1991, and resigned from the Holyoke mayoralty on February 6, and was replaced by City Council President Joseph M. McGivern as acting mayor.[17] Dunn announced that he would not seek reelection in 1992.[18] In 1992, Dunn was named Legislator of the Year by the Massachusetts Teachers' Association.[1]

Later life

Dunn was given the staff attorney position in the Massachusetts Senate counsel's office in 1994.[19] In 2015, he was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Holyoke Democratic Committee, and was given a medal from the St. Thomas More Society in 2018. Dunn died on September 11, 2020.[1]

Electoral history

1987 Holyoke, Massachusetts mayoral primary[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Martin J. Dunn 3,810 50.22%
Nonpartisan Ernest E. Proulx (incumbent) 2,613 34.44%
Nonpartisan Charles F. Smith 1,164 15.34%
Total votes 7,587 100.00%
1987 Holyoke, Massachusetts mayoral election[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Martin J. Dunn 8,091 58.41%
Nonpartisan Ernest E. Proulx (incumbent) 5,760 41.59%
Total votes 13,851 100.00%
1989 Holyoke, Massachusetts mayoral election[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Martin J. Dunn (incumbent) 8,673 80.91%
Nonpartisan Edward O'Connor 2,046 19.09%
Total votes 10,719 100.00%
1990 Massachusetts Senate Hampden and Hampshire district Democratic primary[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Martin J. Dunn 9,907 49.60%
Democratic Dolores Asselin 6,816 34.13%
Democratic Kenneth R. Haar 1,775 8.89%
Democratic Daniel M. Knapp 1,475 7.38%
Total votes 19,973 100.00%
1990 Massachusetts Senate Hampden and Hampshire district election[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Martin J. Dunn 32,529 66.36%
Republican Walter R. Bilski 16,491 33.64%
Total votes 49,020 100.00%

References

  1. ^ a b c "Former Holyoke Mayor and state Sen. Martin J. Dunn dead at 64". MassLive. September 12, 2020. Archived from the original on September 21, 2020. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  2. ^ "Attorneys At Law - Holyoke, MA - Dunn & Wilson Attorneys At Law". www.dunn-wilson.com. Retrieved 2021-09-26.
  3. ^ "Obituaries". Columbia College Today. 2022-01-18. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  4. ^ "Public officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts". The Berkshire Eagle. November 4, 1987. p. 52. Archived from the original on September 21, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Challenger attracts more votes". North Adams Transcript. October 7, 1987. p. 2. Archived from the original on September 21, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Candidates face conflict probes". North Adams Transcript. October 27, 1987. p. 2. Archived from the original on September 21, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b "Proulx defeated". The Berkshire Eagle. November 4, 1987. p. 4. Archived from the original on September 21, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b "1989 election results". The Berkshire Eagle. November 8, 1989. p. 6. Archived from the original on September 21, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Protest won't stop Fonda film". North Adams Transcript. February 4, 1988. p. 2. Archived from the original on September 21, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Cities charged with police brutality". North Adams Transcript. August 4, 1988. p. 18. Archived from the original on September 21, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Hispanic group withdraws award". North Adams Transcript. August 11, 1988. p. 5. Archived from the original on September 21, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Holyoke mayor to run for Senate". North Adams Transcript. March 1, 1990. p. 5. Archived from the original on September 21, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ a b "1990 primary results". The Boston Globe. September 20, 1990. p. 43. Archived from the original on September 21, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ a b "1990 election results". The Boston Globe. November 8, 1990. p. 46. Archived from the original on September 21, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "House, Senate leaders". The Boston Globe. January 16, 1991. p. 25. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. Retrieved September 22, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Official plans to cut off Holyoke schools' utilities". The Boston Globe. January 30, 1991. p. 29. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. Retrieved September 22, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "McGivern takes over". North Adams Transcript. February 7, 1991. p. 1. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. Retrieved September 22, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Retiring legislator lauded". North Adams Transcript. March 17, 1992. p. 18. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. Retrieved September 22, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Ex-legislator gets $46,000 state post". The Boston Globe. May 17, 1994. p. 28. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. Retrieved September 22, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.