A record number of delegates gathered at the DCU Center in Worcester Saturday for the Massachusetts Republican Convention to select the party’s nominees for governor, lieutenant governor, and other offices.
Anne Brensley won the MassGOP endorsement for Lt. Gov. by a vast majority, taking in 1,100 votes for 56.09% – more than double the next closest candidate. Anne Manning Martin followed Brensley with 536 votes for 27.33%, with Shawn Oliver gathering 325 votes to just make it on the ballot with 16.57%.
Speeches are now being delivered by the three candidates for governor, starting with Mike Minogue, followed by Brian Shortsleeve, with Mike Kennealy wrapping things up before delegates cast their votes.
In his speech, Minogue promised to repeal the NetZero by 2050 climate mandate and the MBTA Communities Act, to end free ‘right to shelter’ laws for illegal immigrants in Massachusetts, and that he would protect the 2nd Amendment, among other things, if elected.
Minogue also highlighted his self-proclaimed status as a “political outsider,” with his lack of a resume in politics and his success in the private sector running a biotechnology company.
Shortsleeve highlighted his service in the U.S. Marine Corps as a driver behind his financial efficiency and his work ethic, harkening back to his days leading the MBTA under the Baker administration and his work in cleaning up the Authority’s books.
Shortsleeve promised delegates that he would work to root out all waste, fraud and abuse from state government and to make Massachusetts more affordable, if he is elected, among others.
Putting a focus on fiscal responsibility, Kennealy spoke of his experience as the Secretary of Housing and Economic Development under former Gov. Charlie Baker and his recent work as the Chair of the MassGOP’s Finance Committee.
Kennealy promised to put Massachusetts residents first, to prioritize affordability, and to reduce soaring energy prices that have plagued Bay State ratepayers, if elected, among other things.
All three candidates went on the attack against Gov. Maura Healey for her handling of increasing energy costs, housing, affordability, crime, and more during her first term in the corner office.
Voting for a gubernatorial nominee is now officially underway, with delegates being given 30 minutes to cast their votes.
John Deaton accepts Republican Senate nomination
U.S. Senate Candidate John Deaton earned the Massachusetts Republican nomination for U.S. Senate by acclamation.
Deaton spoke about having pride in Republicanism as he accepted his nomination, harkening back to Republican Party figureheads like Presidents Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan and Dwight Eisenhower while also reaffirming modern Republican principles.
“When I think of being a Republican, I think of Lincoln signing the Emancipation Proclamation. I think of Frederick Douglass, born into slavery, beating the soul. He didn’t curse the Declaration of Independence. He demanded America live up to it. And he chose to believe in this country. And he called the Republican Party the party of freedom and progress because it was,” said Deaton.
“When I think of being a Republican, I think in 1957, nine black kids trying to walk through the front door of Central High School in Arkansas. The Democrat governor sent the National Guard to block them, and it was a Republican. Eisenhower, who sent the 101st Airborne to walk those kids to class, once again a Republican standing for the forgotten. I think of Ronald Reagan, who saw a nation that had lost faith in itself, and he looked that nation in the eye and said, ‘it’s warning in America again,’” he said.
Deaton also went after his potential Democratic competitor in the race, incumbent U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, honing in on Markey’s over half-century-long tenure on Capitol Hill, the amount of time he spends out of Massachusetts, and how Markey is not “putting people before politics.”
“Ed Markey has been in office for 53 years,” said Deaton. “Fifty-three years in office and the people of this state have to choose between medicine and food. I think it’s time we elect someone who puts people before party. I think it’s time we elected someone who puts truth before politics. Look everyone, people are losing hope. I see it. I’ve been there. Listen, God gave me some challenges.
Former U.S. Senate and gubernatorial candidate Geoff Diehl sponsored the unopposed nomination of Deaton. The MassGOP voted to endorse Deaton back in November — a vote also sponsored by Diehl.
“Recent polling shows true real momentum, real momentum and when voters hear John’s story and message, he closes the gap significantly and has a genuine chance to win this seat. John Deaton has already earned the official endorsement from the Massachusetts Republican Party. Today I ask you to make it unanimous. It is my privilege to nominate John,” said Diehl.
Deaton throws himself back into the political arena one year after an unsuccessful campaign to unseat Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
Attorney General and State Treasurer nominees
With no Republican challengers, Belmont Select Board member and state Treasurer candidate Elizabeth Dionne and Lynnfield-based attorney and Attorney General candidate Michael Walsh won their respective GOP nominations. Dionne is running to unseat Democratic incumbent state Treasurer Deb Goldberg, while Walsh is running to unseat Democratic incumbent Attorney General Andrea Campbell.
Guest Speakers
CEO of the Babylon Bee, Seth Dillon, addressed delegates in his keynote address, discussing the importance of free speech and the use of satirical publications.
“Bad ideas have to be ridiculed, and that’s what satire does so effectively, so that they aren’t taken seriously. And it’s not mean, you know, where mockery is sometimes criticized for being mean and cruel, but we’re talking about mocking bad ideas for the foolishness of what they are so that they aren’t taken seriously. When you’re doing that, I think there’s a moral imperative to that,” said Dillon.
“Comedy is so effective and tyrants hate to be mocked, there’s nothing they hate more than to be mocked. We started finding ourselves kind of on the front lines of this battle for free speech, which is not something that we ever expected,” he said.
Delegates also heard from Herald columnist and radio talk show host Howie Carr, YouTube personality and podcaster Mike Urban, Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz, Taunton Mayor Shaunna O’Connell, gun rights activist and Chair of the Civil Rights Coalition Toby Leary, and occupational therapist Tamara Tarpinian Jachym. Singer and songwriter Cary Tefft performed the national anthem.
Delays, delays, delays
The event was delayed by several hours in voting for gubernatorial candidates, with the party holding a recount of its delegate voter rolls before conducting the vote for a Lt. Gov. nominee. That vote is still being tallied and is now three hours past the originally scheduled 12:20pm vote. More than 2,300 delegates were present.
When the convention was approaching four hours behind schedule, the Herald asked Party Chairwoman Amy Carnevale about the delay. Carnevale explained that numerous issues arose during voting, including registration issues among some delegates and party members, with delegates in some districts receiving no direction from party leadership on how to vote and where to submit votes.
“There’s different issues. In some cases, we had some ex-officio members who can register really up until day of that showed up before registering. So we had to rectify the roles. Certainly once we get to the governor’s ballot, we’ll have the list rectified and that should go a lot faster,” Carnevale said.
This dilemma unfolded as delegates still waited to hear from all three gubernatorial candidates before casting a vote for that respective nominee.
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