Mark Schwager To Run For Seat Held By Rep. Bob Watson

Former Town Councilor Mark Schwager is throwing his hat into the ring again, this time aiming for the District 30 seat currently held by state Representative Bob Watson. Schwager will formally kick off his campaign on Tuesday, Nov. 8, at a public reception at Café Fresco.

Schwager served on the East Greenwich Town Council for two terms, from 2006 to 2010. He ran for former Sen. Michael Lenihan’s seat in the Nov. 2010 election, but lost in that contest to North Kingstown’s Dawson Hodgson.

This time around, said Schwager Monday, he will focus on the District 30 seat since it is more East Greenwich-focused.

“I just think it’s a better race for me,” he said. “I’m very involved in East Greenwich, in municipal politics and government and community service. I know the area really well, the issues really well. My kids have been through the school system. I have my medical practice here. I was on the Council here. So I’m just very focused on this community.”

So far, Schwager is the only candidate to declare for the District 30 seat that Watson has held since 1992. Watson may be more vulnerable this election cycle because of in Connecticut on charges of driving while intoxicated and possession of marijuana.

Subsequent blood tests indicated the presence of cocaine and marijuana in Watson’s blood. Watson acknowledges having marijuana in his possession, saying that he had it to help cope with painful pancreatitis attacks. He has said since his arrest that he was not drunk and had not been smoking marijuana on the day of his arrest.

n a New Haven court just last week.

Schwager is a medical doctor with a practice on South County Trail. He is married to Patricia Flanagan, also a medical doctor.  They have three grown children.