By: Brian Genest June, 2022
What do Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker and his would-be establishment replacement Chris Doughty have in common? Neither alleged Republican voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 Presidential Election. Unlike Baker, who claims he blanked the race, Doughty admits he voted for Crooked Hillary Clinton.
You can see why Doughty, like Baker, fails to excite the GOP’s conservative base. That lack of excitement was on full display at the Republican State Convention. The race’s frontrunner, Geoff Diehl, a proven commodity with Republican activists and voters, walloped newbie Doughty badly, winning more than 70% of the votes from convention delegates and easily becoming the party’s endorsed candidate for governor.
Wonder which Republican delegates voted for the guy who voted for Hillary? Wonder no more. Thanks to MassGOP Chairman Jim Lyons and his commitment to full transparency, you can see how each delegate voted for yourself. Lyons published the voting records, and it makes for some interesting reading.
Spoiler alert: Try not to let this list destroy your faith in the squishy Republican establishment. And make no mistake about it: Baker’s middle-of-the-road supporters, those who scream for big-tent unity, are the biggest dissenters of all in the party right now. At the top of the list are some members of the state committee, state representatives, and other elected officials.
But don’t take my word for it. After all, the numbers don’t lie. And the names of the mediocre are now etched in history.
For example, down in the Plymouth and Barnstable districts, Diehl won 27 to 3. Among the three for Doughty was Jennifer Cunningham of Plymouth, the state committeewoman. Meanwhile, she’s surrounded by a sea of Diehl supporters – including all 16 delegates from Bourne (including her counterpart, State Committeeman Jay McMahon), both delegates from Kingston, all five delegates from Pembroke, three of the four delegates from Sandwich and a fellow delegate from her hometown. Of course, unlike her fellow delegates, Cunningham works for Baker.
Over in the Worcester and Middlesex Districts, Diehl won 40-5. Among the handful for Doughty was State Committeewoman Susan Smiley of Lancaster. In her district, Diehl won the support of all seven delegates from Fitchburg, both delegates from Gardner, eight of nine delegates from Leominster, all six delegates from Lunenburg, all four delegates from Sterling, seven of 10 delegates from Townsend, all five delegates from Westminster and a fellow delegate from her hometown. Stop me when this sounds familiar.
Then there’s the Hampshire, Franklin, and Worcester districts, which supported Diehl 11-2. All the delegates from Amherst, Deerfield, Greenfield, North Hampton and Royalston voted for Diehl, except two—State Committeewoman Mary Lou Stuart and her HUSBAND State Committeeman Jay Fleitman, the MassGOP vice chairman.
Other members of the State Committee casting ballots for Doughty in their districts include Jaclyn Corriveau of Peabody, Sid Starks of East Longmeadow, Mike Case of Washington, Amy Carnevale of Marblehead, Laurie Myers of Chelmsford, Robert Aufiero of Melrose, Caroline Colarusso of Stoneham, Mindy McKenzie of Shrewsbury, Ryan Chamberland of Blackstone, William and Judith Crocker of Centerville, and Janet Fogarty and Ron Kaufman of Weymouth, who both also serve on the Republican National Committee.
In the First Essex & Middlesex districts, the 36-9 vote for Diehl was telling. Very telling.
Diehl won the only delegate in Essex, all three delegates in Ipswich, six of the nine delegates in Middleton, five of the six delegates in Rockport, the only delegate in West Newbury and all four delegates in Wilmington. In Georgetown, Diehl won three of the four delegates; only state Rep. Lenny Mirra voted for Doughty. In Gloucester, Diehl won four of the five delegates; only state Sen. Bruce Tarr voted for Doughty. In North Reading, Diehl won nine of 12 delegates. Among the three for Doughty was state Rep. Brad Jones, the party’s minority leader who’s kept the party in the minority since taking over that post in 2003.
In the Second Hampden and Hampshire districts, Diehl won by 41 -7. Twenty-two of those delegates came from Westfield. Only two delegates from that town voted for Doughty. One of them was state Rep. Kelly Pease.
Other State Representatives who cast ballots for Doughty include Jay Barrows of Mansfield, Paul Frost of Auburn, and Shawn Dooley of Norfolk, who lost his bid for party chairman last year.
As you can see, Baker’s establishment wing of the party is small but widespread—and clinging to the past. These are some of the same people who have stood by while Maura Healey, the Democrat-dominated legislature and special interest groups have ushered in a progressive leftist agenda. Taxes and spending continue to skyrocket. They want to defund our police. Now, illegal aliens will be getting state driver’s licenses! And what have Republicans in charge like Baker, Jones, Tarr and others done to stop it? Nothing.
On the other hand, there’s Lyons, Diehl and the party majority from all over the state. Those who voted for President Trump and aren’t ashamed of it.
Those unafraid to fight for what we believe in – life, liberty and freedom. Those who see that having a moderate governor for seven years has gotten us nowhere as a party or a commonwealth. This time, we’re supporting a conservative, not a push-over.
—Brian Genest is a member of the Massachusetts Republican State Committee representing the Second Essex & Middlesex District of Andover, Dracut, Lawrence, and Tewksbury. ◊