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 Thielman  Garballey
Graduate student Sean Garballey, 22, riding a wave of voter resentment linked to the Ottoson e-mail scandal, beat out fellow School Committee veteran Jeffrey Thielman in the primary election Feb. 5 for the 23rd Middlesex district. Garballey received 5,741 votes to Thielman's 5,321. First-time candidate Andrew O'Brien got 1,280 votes. According to totals reported by the Thielman campaign at the American Legion, voting in Arlington among 15 precincts went this way: Garballey, 4,667; Thielman, 4,098; and O'Brien, 883.
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Thielman told YourArlington Feb. 6: "I congratulate Sean Garballey on his election victory and look forward to voting for him in the general election on March 4th.
"I’m thankful to everyone who worked on our campaign and to the 5,321 people who cast a ballot for me. It was a privilege to meet so many wonderful people across the district. I will continue to work to help our community and our state."
Garballey told YourArlington Feb. 7:
"I'm ecstatic and grateful to my family and friends, and I am looking forward to bringing people together to work on the issues facing Arlington and West Medford. I've always believed that the best resource of the Commonwealth is it's people, and tonight the people spoke.
"I am grateful for the campaigns that Mr. Thielman and Mr. O'Brien ran. They added a lot to this conversation and I wish them the very best as they continue to serve Arlington.
"I will bring the same message of hope and bringing people together as the campaign moves towards the general election and I look forward to continuing the conversation on how to improve the quality of life for the people of our district."
Thielman got the most votes among three precincts in West Medford -- 1,223 -- to Garballey's 1,074 and O'Brien's 397.
The percentages went this way:
Arlington -- Garballey, 48.4%; Thielman, 42.5%; O'Brien, 9.2%.
Medford -- Garballey, 39.9%; Thielman, 45.4%; O'Brien, 39.9%.
Garballey, a graduate of the Thompson School and supported by formed Thompson Principal Mike McCabe, drew support from those East Arlington precincts that vote at Thompson. Precincts 1 and 5 voted decisively by Garballey, vice chairman of the School Committee.
In Precinct 3, which votes at Thompson, Thielman, former chairman of the School Committee, drew 242 votes, seven more than Garballey.
Thielman scored heavily in Precinct 8 and well in 10, both traditional Marzilli strongholds. In 10, Thielman got 388 votes to Garballey's 304. In 8, Thielman had 515 to Garballey's 214.
 At the American Legion on Feb. 5, Paul Schlichtman records the numbers on his laptop as Thielman supporters see them projected on a screen.
But in Precinct 19, where unions supporting Garballey are strong, the 22-year-old received 401 votes to Thielman's 241.
Other precincts that went to Garballey were 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 and 18.
In the general election March 4 for the seat on Beacon Hill, Garballey will face Republican John Worden III and independent Robert Valeri. Worden was unopposed in the primary, where he received 1,732 votes.
The seat, vacated by Marzilli when he was elected senator in December, will be contested again next fall.
Garballey had the endorsements of the Boston Herald and numerous unions. Thielman was endorsed by The Boston Globe and Sen. Jim Marzilli.
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