Political Spending in Massachusetts

"Democrats far outspent GOP as races loomed".  That is what the headline says.  The story, in The Boston Globe tracks the headline.

While at the top of the ticket, Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Charlie Baker outspent Governor Deval Patrick by $6.9 million to $5.4 million, Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray spend $3.0 million against State Senator Richard Tisei's $1.7 million.  Overall, it was $5.9 million from the Democratic State Committee to $2.6 million for the Republican State Committee.

Republican State Committee Chairman Jennifer Nassour spoke to this in The GLobe article

Democrats “have more people than we do, they have more money than we do, and they were paying a lot of people to help get out the vote," Nassour said.  Brown’s election was a wake-up call for the Democrats, and they responded, she said.

I bet it was.

The other problem for the Republican Party in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a fixation upon the office of Governor.  As Republicans we need to admit that without substantial numbers in the Legislature the office of Governor is mostly a bully pulpit.  Note that it is called "The Corner Office".  It is an office in the corner of the building housing the legislature, The General Court.  There is no executive mansion.  Heck, even the mayor of New York City has Gracie Mansion.

The focus of the Republican Party in Massachusetts for the next two years must be on recruiting, training, and supporting candidates for legislative office.  If we diverted the money we might have spent in 2012 trying to elect a Governor and instead spent it on electing State Representatives and State Senators, it would pay higher dividends that electing a Republican Governor.

Monday, the 29th of November of this year would not be too soon to start.

Regards  —  Cliff