Massachusetts Republican Party
The Massachusetts Republican Party, as its name implies, is the Massachusetts branch of the United States Republican Party. Elected by the party’s state central committee, its current chairman is Darrell W. Crate. Its current Vice-Chair is Jeanne Kangas.
Early history (1956-1950)
The Republican Party in Massachusetts was the dominant party in the state for nearly seventy years from (1858 through the 1920s). Republican candidates routinely won the state governorship as well as most other state and Federal offices. The Republican dominance of Massachusetts slowly died in 1920's and 1930's as the predominantly Democratic Immigrant groups changed the traditionally Republican WASP Massachusetts into the Catholic Democratic majority state that it remains today. Additionally helping the Democratic take-over of Massachusetts, was high unionization of workers in the state, cuppled with the onset of the Great Depression and the rise of the New Deal Democrats. By the 1950's, most of the urban-suburban areas of Massachusetts were largely Democratic, leaving just a couple pockets of strongly Republican rural areas in Barnstable, Nantucket, Dukes, Berkshire, and Franklin Counties.
The Late 20th Century (1950-1990)
In the 1950's, the influential Kennedy Family worked its way into the reigns of the Massachusetts Democratic Party, and helped guide the Democrats into multiple consecutive victories, much at the expense of The Republican Party. In 1952, JFK defeated Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. for the US Senate, ending the Republican Cabot-Lodge dynasty that had dominated Massachusetts politics since the Revolutionary War. JFK soon after would again lead the Democratic Party, becoming the successful 1960 Democratic Candidate for President, and in doing so delivering Massachusetts solidly to the Democrats on the Federal level until 1984. The fiscally Conservative, and largely Rockefeller Republicans of Massachusetts would slowly lose power in the next 24 years, losing their last US Senate seat to Paul Tsongas in 1978, and five US House of Representatives seats in the period. On the state level, Democrats would take super-majorities in both houses of the State Legislature, and would dominate the Governorship for twenty-two out of a thirty-four year period from 1957 to 1990.
Modern Era (1984-2006)
In 1984, the Republican Ronald Reagan for the first time since 1956, would win the Presidential Election in Massachusetts, ushering in what appeared to be a new hope for Republicans in the state. In 1990, due to the unpopularity of then Gov. Michael Dukakis at the end of his last term in office, Republicans were able under the leadership of William Weld to capture the Governor's office for the first time since 1973, and erase Democratic super-majorities in the State Legislature. However, the Republican Renaissance in Massachusetts largely folded in 1996 when the popularity of then President Bill Clinton derailed Republican efforts, costing them a chance at the US Senate seat of John Kerry, most of their gains in the State Legislature, and both of their newly gained seats in the US House of Representatives. However, despite losses in all other significant races in the state, the Massachusetts Republican Party has been able to maintain control over the Governor's office. In fact, since 1990, the Governor's office has been consistently held by a number of Republicans, most recently including 2008 Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney. In 2004, the party tried its chances to make gains in the State Legislature under the lead and popularity of Mitt Romney, however, instead the party ended up losing seats. The party was largely criticized for being unorganized, and favoring candidates monetarily that were closer to the moderate leadership of the party. The Party is also criticized for the continued hemoraging of party registration among voters in the state. 2004 data shows that now only 12.99% of registered voters in Massachusetts consider themselves "Republicans".[1]
Current Elected Officials
U.S. Senators:
- None
Massachusetts Statewide Officers:
State Legislative Leaders:
- Massachusetts House of Representatives Minority Leader - Bradley H. Jones, Jr.
- Massachusetts Senate Minority Leader - Brian P. Lees
Control of the State Legislature
- Seats Held in the State House of Representatives: 21 (13.125%)
- Seats Held in the State Senate: 6 (15%)
Members of the United States Congress:
- None
2006 Election
In 2006, Massachusetts will be holding elections for the US Senate, US House, Statewide Offices, County Offices, and the State Legislature. The party will be holding a primary to nominate a candidate for the 2006 United States Senate election. Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy has chosen to seek reelection, making the take over of the seat very difficult. Two Republicans currently seek the nomination from the party. The first is former Wakefield selectman Kevin Scott, who enjoys support from the more moderate wings of the party activists. The second candidate is 2004 Congressional Candidate and the Party's Endorsed Candidate Ken Chase of Belmont.
The US House elections in Massachusetts for 2006 are largely uncontested. In fact, 6 of the 10 Incumbents will not face a candidate at all. The Republicans are only putting up three candidates for the US House. In the 6th Distirct, airline pilot and political newcomer Rick Barton is challenging Incumbent Democrat John Tierney. This race is generally considered Safe for the Democrat, however, the seat was held by a Republican between 1993 and 1997 by former Representative Peter Torkildsen. In the 9th District, Republicans are putting up tarnished 2000 US Senate Nominee and 2002 Secretary of State Nominee Jack E. Robinson to face Incumbent Democrat Stephen Lynch in what is one of Massachusetts' safest Democratic Districts. The final candidate is Jeff Beatty who is running in the 10th Congressional District, arguably the most Republican district in the State against Incumbent Democrat Bill Delahunt, this race too however is Safely Democratic.
The Republicans do have a race however in the defense of the open Governor's Office this Fall. In the 2006 Governor's Race Republican Lt. Gov Kerry Healey is running to replace out-going Republican Governor Mitt Romney. She faces an uphill battle however in heavily Democratic Massachusetts, and will face the winner of the Democratic Primary between Deval Patrick, Tom Reilly and Chris Gabrielli. However, complicating matters this time around is the candidacy of former-Republican Christy Mihos. He is polling currently at around 10-15%, and could potentially cost the Republicans the Governorship for the first time in 16 years in this closely contested race. The Republicans are only contestiing the open Attorney General position this year amongst all the other statewide offices. Larry Frisoli hopes that he can pull off a huge upset for the Republicans in defeating popular Middlesex County District Attorney Martha Coakley.
As for the County and Legislative race this fall, the Republicans are running so few candidates that the Democrats are already assured control of the State House and the State Senate, and there is little change the Republicans will add to their tiny minority. The few County elections this year are almost unanimously unopposed in favor of the Democrats.