Join this discussion with Republican leaders to find out why they believe the citizens of Massachusetts share their party's values. Is our Commonwealth's reputation as a bastion for liberalism undeserved? Republicans have had a stronghold on the governor's office in Massachusetts for 13 consecutive years. As a result, it is hard to deny the wide appeal of "common-sense republican priorities" that include lower taxes, economic growth, individual liberty, and improved standards of education. In a state where more than half the voters are unenrolled or independents (and not Democrats), the Republican Party is confident about its potential for growth.
Crate is serving his second term as a volunteer chairman of the Massachusetts Republican Party. He has been chairman since January of 2003. He is currently the executive vice president and chief financial officer of Affiliated Managers Group Inc., a publicly traded asset management holding company. He is also a member of the board of trustees of Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, where he is chairman of the Bates College Alumni Fund. Crate received his BA from Bates College and his MBA from Columbia Business School.
Healey's political career began in the late 1990s when she unsuccessfully challenged Democratic incumbent Michael Cahill to represent the 6th Essex District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. She then served briefly as chairperson of the Massachusetts Republican State Committee. She was elected in 2002 as lieutenant governor on the Republican ticket with Mitt Romney. After Governor Mitt Romney's announcement that he would not seek re-election in the 2006 election Healey formally announced on February 8, 2006, that she would seek the Republican nomination for Governor. On November 7, Healey was defeated by Democrat Deval Patrick by 21 percentage points.
Gray Media Vice President Dominick Ianno holds nearly a decade of experience working with the Massachusetts and national media. He is often quoted in local and national media outlets and frequently appears as a guest on news and talk programs. Mr. Ianno previously served as Press Secretary in the Executive Office for Administration and Finance, where he was the chief fiscal spokesman for two Massachusetts Governors. He also supervised the communications strategy at the twenty-three state agencies which report to A&F, which include the state budget, revenue, purchasing, human resources, information technology and capital planning departments. A veteran of the Massachusetts political scene, Mr. Ianno served as the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Republican Party, where he was responsible for overseeing the party's day-to-day operations and media relations. During his tenure, the Mass GOP recruited its highest number of legislative candidates since 1990 and delivered the surprising upset special-election victory of State Senator Scott Brown. He has also worked as a research and media operative for several statewide Republican campaigns in Massachusetts, including the Weld for Senate campaign and the successful Romney-Healey and Cellucci-Swift campaigns, and spent 2 years as Communications Director for the Massachusetts Republican Party. A native of New Hartford, NY, Dominick Ianno has received a BA in political science from the State University of New York at Oswego and a JD from the New England School of Law.