Tom Calter is a stand-up guy, and never has this been more evident than his recent vote as one of only seven Democrats in the House of Representatives opting not to re-elect Sal DiMasi as Speaker of the House.

It's been said that a couple of weeks can be a lifetime in politics, and that is certainly true with this issue. DiMasi is gone, having resigned in late January - but not before receiving an overwhelming (but not unanimous) vote to re-elect him as Speaker.

DiMasi's resignation subsequent to the vote  only reinforces the notion that Tom Calter's vote was the correct one. We can only wonder why there weren't more Democrats siding with Representative Calter on the issue.

A vote against the Speaker's re-election could not have been easy, given the intense lobbying effort by DiMasi to win re-election and the considerable clout that he wielded. Tom and six of his Democratic colleagues achieved a moral victory on that day, and Tom made that choice believing that he would have to live with the consequences of bucking the tide.  The few who voted against DiMasi's re-election stuck out like the proverbial sore thumb. Some in state politics viewed DiMasi as more powerful than even the Governor; as Speaker, he exerted considerable control over budget appropriations, committee assignments, and even office locations. A Speaker, particularly one with an inclination toward the vindictive, has the ability to make a State Representative's life pure hell if that Representative does not "go along to get along."

Yet Tom Calter believed that the House needed new leadership and said as much in a statement that he released at the time of the vote. In part, he said, "We need a renewed confidence in leadership and a clear agenda for reform in many areas. I believe that a change in House leadership is needed."

Acts of courage come in many shapes and sizes. We'd all include the actions by US Airways pilot Sully Sullenberger, who averted a catastrophe by landing a jet safely in the Hudson River, as courageous behavior. I would submit, also, that the act of standing on principle is an act of courage, and that Tom showed courage in the DiMasi vote.

Let me say, in the spirit of disclosure, that Tom is a friend and I have worked on his two campaigns. Let me also add, though, that I would write the same column if I had never met him.

Sal DiMasi may have been on the right side of many issues, in the eyes of party activists, and he may well be a brilliant, capable attorney and legislator. But he stood as a symbol of what is wrong with Massachusetts politics at a time when we desperately need symbols of what is right with Massachusetts politics.

Representative Calter's actions also drew praise from John Creed, who Chairs the Silver Lake Regional School Committee and is an astute political observer and analyst (someone who is never afraid to "tell it like it is") who commended Calter for his courage.

In the "hindsight is 20-20" category, there may well be many more House Democrats who now wish they had voted similarly. Speaker DiMasi is the third person in that position in recent history to resign under questionable circumstances. The House of Representatives did, and does, need a change at the helm. Let's hope that Speaker DeLeo provides an exemplary brand of leadership. In these difficult budgetary times, our state does not need to be distracted by allegations of impropriety and unethical conduct, posturing or theatrics. We need serious solutions for serious problems.

We in the Kingston-Plymouth area are fortunate to be represented by quality leaders and people of integrity, including Tom Calter, Tom O'Brien, Therese Murray, and Vinny deMacedo. They all understand what it means to serve the public, and what is important to people in this district. While our elected representatives may not always mirror our individual viewpoints on every issue, we can be confident that they are looking out for our best interests.

Tom Calter's vote was one shining example of looking out for our interests and those of the state, and he deserves our thanks for it.