Weymouth mayoral candidate Ed Cowen challenging incumbent to 'offer another way'

WEYMOUTH − A Marine Corps veteran is once again trying to unseat Mayor Robert Hedlund.

Ed Cowen, 36, seeks to become Weymouth’s fourth municipal leader since 1999 in the Nov. 7 election. He'll face Hedlund, who is running for a third four-year term at the helm.

“I see the value in offering another way,” Cowen said. “What could we do with a young veteran, motivated mayor that wants to work with people? I think we could do a lot.”

If elected, Cowen said he wants to listen to residents' concerns, “fill the empty storefronts that we have all over town” by having town staff send letters to developers and businesses they want to attract, and work collaboratively with the town council and the school committee.

He said he envisions adding more technology to the town’s operations, such as using radar to scan for leaks beneath the roads and fortifying Weymouth’s cybersecurity.

The Ledger's interview with Hedlund: Weymouth Mayor Robert Hedlund wants to see through 'unfinished business' in reelection bid

Cowen says he is pro-union

Cowen says he's a stock trader and real estate investor, and refers to himself as “pro-union,” saying he would support unionized teachers, police officers and firefighters in getting their contract negotiations done at the same time. He said he would try to use the mayor’s office to leverage private companies into using more union labor.

While he doesn’t agree with Hedlund on every issue, Cowen said there are some things that, if elected, he would like to continue doing or even expand upon, such as grant writing.

“I’ll take the things that I believe Mayor Hedlund’s administration and him deserve credit for, and I will double down on those things,” he said. “I’m offering people essentially their town, a mayor that will really work with them, that will be accessible, that will be there early and leave late.”

Running for mayor isn’t a career move, Cowen said. Before his first run for the office in 2019, he was involved in the fight against the controversial natural gas compressor on the Fore River. In a recent candidates forum, Cowen vowed to put a moratorium on any new fossil fuel infrastructure projects.

“I think if you’re going to run for office, that’s what you should do. You should take important stances, because why else are you running?” he said.

Originally from Taunton, Cowen went to high school in Norton then enlisted in the Marine Corps and went through boot camp. He went onto become a rifleman and was in the service from February 2006 to October 2009.

Cowen said he was deployed to the Middle East two times, during which his father, aunt, friend and fellow Marine died. He suffered from depression and used substances to dull his pain, he previously told The Patriot Ledger.

In 2012, Cowen was arrested after breaking into a Foxboro convenience store and taking cigarettes and gum, leaving a $5 bill behind, an event caused by mixing alcohol and medication, he said. He went through an 18-month diversion program for veterans and his record was wiped clean.

More: Mayoral candidate opens up about past struggles

“I’m not a perfect person. I’ve been through all kinds of stuff, but I’m a fair arbiter. I want to work with people. I’m not here because I know everything,” he said.

He initially decided to seek the seat because he didn’t want Hedlund to run unopposed. He received just 18% of the 9,500 votes in 2019, but Cowen is confident he’ll do better this time around.

More: Who is running for mayor, town council and school board in Nov. 7 Weymouth town election?

Referencing a quote that Hedlund gave The Patriot Ledger in a story that announced his bid for reelection – “I still have a little gas left in the tank” – Cowen countered: “My tank is full, and I’m ready to go.”

Registering to vote

The registration period has ended.

Early voting

Early voting started Monday and will last through Friday, Nov. 3, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the town clerk's office at 75 Middle St.

Poll hours

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7.

To find your polling location, visit tinyurl.com/Weyvote.

Hannah Morse covers growth and development for The Patriot Ledger. Contact her at hmorse@patriotledger.com.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Ed Cowen challenges Mayor Robert Hedlund in Weymouth election Nov. 7