MANCHESTER — Congressional challenger Bill Hudak has pledged that, if he is elected this fall, he will hold free and open community meetings in every city and town throughout the 6th Congressional District at least once a year.
Now, he has taken that promise to the campaign trail as well.
Tomorrow, Hudak, the Boxford Republican who is challenging Democrat John Tierney for the U.S. House seat, will host a "community meeting" for those who would like to learn more about him and discuss issues. The event is free and open to the public, and is set to run from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Manchester Community Center on Beach Street.
"The purpose of this is for anyone in Manchester or surrounding towns to voice their opinion on what is happening in Washington," Hudak said yesterday in a phone interview. "People will get a chance to learn more about me and can also ask me questions about what I would do (in Washington)."
Nancy Haskell of Harbor Street, who helped organize the event, said she always votes during election but has never put a yard sign up for a certain candidate and has never been involved in a campaign before.
But she has known Hudak for 25 years as an attorney, and said that, after he asked her to help with his campaign she told him she would be able to do anything "except type."
"One of the reasons I decided to do this is because I've known him for years," said Haskell. "He is very smart and he can do something in Washington ... he gets things done, he has had his own business for a long time and he has worked his way up."
Hudak said he hopes to hold these community meetings in all the towns and cities in the district while on the campaign trail. He said he held similar meetings in the fall, but this meeting will be the first in the series this year.
"It is important for people to voice their concerns and learn about what is going on," said Hudak. "People are frustrated at not being able to get in contact with their congressman."
He said the event will allow the constituents of the 6th District to "interview" him for the position he is looking to fill and about the direction in which he thinks America is heading.
Jonathan Phelps can be reached at gt_reporter@gloucestertimes.com.


