Law Student Will Represent Nantucket

The first Democrat ever elected to the Massachusetts State legislature from Nantucket Island, is a second year Harvard Law School student.

Robert F. Mooney 2L, who has lived on the island all his life, won a largely personal victory over two registered Republicans in a close three-cornered race. He is also, at 26, the youngest legislator ever elected from Nantucket.

His campaign, conducted largely through open letters to voters in the local newspapers, stressed two issues of great importance to the islanders, the Steamship Authority debt and Nantucket harbor improvement.

Last year Nantucket taxpayers had to make up about $44,000 of the Authority's operating deficit, and although Mooney said taxes were still "low for Massachusetts," increased costs threaten to raise the rates. The new representative said he will seek state funds on the grounds that the Steamship Line is "Nantucket's road to the mainland," and that the state should help maintain roads.

The other important plank in Mooney's platform concerns "obtaining state and federal funds for harbor development." Mooney said that at present, Nantucket harbor, although picturesque, offers "very few attractions for yachtsmen," a potentially important source of summer income. He said that Governor-elect Furcolo's program includes aid for Mass-achusetts's large tourist trade.

Mooney received 763 votes, to 600 for his nearest Republican opponent. The next largest Democratic vote on the Island was for Kennedy as State Treasurer, with 578 votes. There are only about 100 registered Democrats on Nantucket.

But Mooney does not suppose that the election of a Democrat indicates a great switch of political feeling on Nantucket. "I'm riding in on a minority vote all right, but it was the largest minority Nantucket has demonstrated for some time."