Probably the only thing dumber this week than the Holden guy who tried to board an aircraft with a loaded .357 Magnum was state Rep. John Fresolo’s response to news that a challenger has entered the race for the 16th Worcester District.

The four-term legislator, who should be no stranger to political machinations, waxed indignant when asked about Melissa J. Murgo’s decision to run against him in the Democratic primary.

“Her race is not politically motivated,” he claimed in yesterday’s Telegram & Gazette, “but it’s a personal attack.”

Is anyone actually listening to this man?

Mr. Fresolo was apparently referring to what he called the “unfortunate family experience” that led to the state Department of Social Services investigating and then supporting allegations that he struck his 13-year-old daughter last fall. According to Mr. Fresolo, Ms. Murgo is “taking advantage” of this unfortunate family experience to mount an election campaign.

It’s not fair, in other words, as she’s only running against him because she thinks she can win. How dare she waste the voters’ time by making them go to the polls when there’s already an incumbent on the ballot!

Earth to John Fresolo: It’s called politics. It’s what happens when a potential candidate sizes up the vulnerabilities of an opponent and decides to toss her hat into the ring. It’s not a personal attack on you, and you’re certainly not a victim because a political challenger seized an opportunity. With Mr. Fresolo’s record, the only surprise here is that half the residents of the 16th District didn’t take out nomination papers.

In a column on June 29, 2003, I predicted that Mr. Fresolo “will eventually put his foot in it, by his nature of being John Fresolo,” and he has not disappointed. In February, we reported a bizarre incident in which he got locked inside St. John’s Cemetery after closing, had to bust his way out and then refused to reveal whose grave he had supposedly gone to visit. In March, he raised the ire of the local gay community after he was invited to a meeting on same-sex marriage at Hadwen Park Congregational Church and spent most of the time rolling his eyes, checking his watch and essentially berating Pastor Judy Hanlon for wasting his time.

In 2003, he earned headlines by claiming the most trips to Boston of all state legislators, which netted him an extra $8,856 above his base pay. It also amounted to $5,763 more than the average per diem pay total reported by lawmakers and served as a deep source of amusement to everyone who knows that he carpools to work.

The DSS matter is more serious, and raised eyebrows in light of his arrest in 1996 for striking his then-wife, who later blamed herself for the incident and had the charges dropped.

In addition to his record, Mr. Fresolo doesn’t have his facts straight. He claimed this week that Ms. Murgo pulled nomination papers only after his DSS case was made public Sunday. That’s simply not true. Ms. Murgo took out papers several days before the story broke and a few days before the city’s deadline, a fact that was noted in last week’s issue of Worcester Magazine.

“Mr. Fresolo sounds very desperate right now,” Ms. Murgo said yesterday, when asked to comment on his comments. “This race is about issues. I believe that our district deserves better representation on Beacon Hill. We need someone with integrity.”

The 27-year-old Ms. Murgo, a former aide to Mr. Fresolo, ran against him in 2004 and lost by just 600 votes. Who can blame her for wanting to take him on again?

“Anyone has a right to run,” noted Bill Eddy, chairman of the Democratic City Committee. “Given the fact that she got 43 percent of the vote last time, she’s already shown she’s a credible candidate. … Voters have a way of figuring out for themselves what’s important, and voters in the 16th Worcester District will decide whether a legislator’s conduct is important to them.”

No area legislator would comment publicly about Mr. Fresolo’s case with DSS, nor would anyone rise to his defense. Privately, many officials are appalled at the latest incident and question whether his political career can survive.

Mr. Fresolo has yet to address the issue himself but is said to be preparing some sort of statement, which is certainly needed and at this point overdue. If he believes he’s been unjustly accused and unfairly targeted by the state agency he funds, let’s hear it. He’s an elected official and the voters deserve an explanation.

Otherwise, he should avoid lashing out at his rival. She’s done nothing but take advantage of the political process — and the questionable behavior of a politician whose record cries out for a challenge.