Thursday, 4:30 PM
State GOP names new executive director
By Globe Staff
The state Republican party has named a new executive director, turning to 29-year-old Robert Willington of Reading, who became political director of the party in January 2006.
"Rob has proven himself as a capable and innovative leader ... He is a person I can count on in our efforts to grow the grassroots, and return two-party competition to Massachusetts," Peter Torkildsen, the party chairman, said in a statement issued by the party.
Willington graduated from Salem State College where he studied political science. His political experience includes working for various politicians' campaigns and managing the VoteOnMarriage.org campaign to gather 170,000 signatures for a ballot question that would have banned gay marriage.
"I’m looking to help build a dedicated network of knowledgeable activists that can effectively carry the GOP banner throughout the Commonwealth. The change starts today," Willington said in the statement. In the past few weeks, Willington has been serving as interim executive director.
Brian Dodge, the previous executive director, left the job in mid-August. He said he was taking a new job out of state.
The party suffered its first gubernatorial loss in 16 years last year and Republicans are vastly outnumbered by Democrats in the Legislature. Torkildsen, a former congressman and state representative, took the job of chairman in January, saying he hoped to revitalize the party.
