Murray faces challenge from Keyes in Plymouth Barnstable Senate race 

Democratic Senate President and 10-term incumbent Therese Murray of Plymouth squares off against Thomas Keyes, a Sandwich Republican, in a rematch from 2010. Two years ago, Murray edged Keyes by about 3,600 votes, out of 72,000 votes cast.

Therese Murray

AGE: 65

ADDRESS: 1 Winding Lane, Plymouth.

OCCUPATION: State Senate president.

EDUCATION: Cardinal Cushing Central High School for Girls, Boston; certificate in management, University of Massachusetts at Boston.

EXPERIENCE: Director of mitigation, state Highway Department; executive director, Municipal Women’s Project.

CIVIC ACTIVITIES: Statewide Breast Cancer Advisory Board; Massachusetts Public Health Association; Lung Cancer Advisory Board

FAMILY: Adult daughter

Although Murray was named, by title, several times in a federal grand jury indictment that accuses three state probation department officials of rigging the hiring system, she says she never took part in the illegal “pay-to-play” practice. “No one has ever questioned my integrity,” Murray said.

The Plymouth Democrat says the economic development bill she sponsored in 2010 has already approved $32.8 million in loans for Massachusetts businesses, leveraging $157.5 million in private money and saving 5,180 jobs; and it has benefited local businesses including Hearth Wood Fired Bread in Plymouth and Montilio’s in Brockton and Quincy.

Thomas Keyes

AGE: 45

ADDRESS: 22 Water St., Sandwich

OCCUPATION: Business consultant

EDUCATION: Northeastern University student for three years; Lead audit and training certification, ISOnet online program.

EXPERIENCE: In 1998, Keyes founded Keyes Quality Systems. The firm provides business consulting on ethics, compliance and auditing and other services.

CIVIC ACTIVITIES: Sandwich selectman, Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates, President of the Cape Cod Selectmen and Councilors’ Association and Board of Directors.

FAMILY: Wife, Melissa; daughters Madelynn, 7, and Julia, 3.

Keyes, a Republican from Sandwich, said he will stimulate job growth with his “small business bill of rights,” which includes a five-year moratorium on new health care mandates, a one-year notice for new fees, taxes and new regulations, and a systematic cost-benefit analysis of regulations every five years.

Keyes says he supports a law requiring wind turbines to be built at least 1 mile from residential areas because they may be harmful to human health. “This is an absolute disaster for the people who have to live near them,” he said. He vehemently opposes any bill that would streamline the permitting process for wind projects.

Where you can vote

For a list of polling places, go to wheredoivotema.com, a web site created by the Massachusetts Secretary of State’s Office or your city or town web site.

Voting places open at 7 a.m. Nov. 6

District includes Kingston, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Bourne, Falmouth, Sandwich and three precincts in Barnstable.

Republican Thomas Keyes says the Legislature should abide by the state’s OPEN MEETING LAW , requiring lawmakers to conduct all their business in public. Senate President Therese Murray, D-Plymouth disagrees, saying applying the law to that degree would discourage residents from confiding in their local legislators.

ABCs of this race: Health care

Murray is touting a law she helped pass creating a new OVERSIGHT AGENCY to monitor health care services, with a goal of saving $200 billion over 15 years. Keyes says the law threatens to lower the state’s credit rating and put small health care providers out of business.

Numbers that matter

$261,154 was raised by Murray’s campaign between Jan. 1 and Aug. 19. The campaign spent $198,102 in that time and was left with $203,007 on hand.

$59,519 was raised by Keyes’ campaign between Jan. 1 and Aug. 19. The campaign spent $45,417 in that time and was left with $28,829 on hand, according to state filings.