GOP boosts number of legislative candidates

The state GOP said yesterday that 133 Republican hopefuls filed papers to run for legislative offices this week, making good on Governor Mitt Romney's pledge to recruit candidates to run against Democratic incumbents, who dominate Beacon Hill.

The party expects that those 133 Republicans will be running in roughly 130 districts this November. That total, which includes the 25 GOP incumbents running for reelection in the Senate and the House, is the highest tally of Republican candidates since 1990, said state Republican Party executive director Dominick Ianno. Candidate signatures have yet to be certified, and some hopefuls may not qualify for the ballot. Still, fully six months before a ballot is cast, Ianno claimed a victory yesterday for Romney.

"There are a lot of people running, and we're still compiling them, there are so many," Ianno said. "We have a strong leader, and a strong message of reform. We went out and talked to hundreds and hundreds of potential candidates. We talked to people who have been involved in politics and who haven't been involved in politics. We were able to convince people we need reform, and people were willing to sign on, and run under the banner of the reform team."

In some cases, Romney called potential candidates personally to persuade them to run.

"He really did a good job of closing the deal," Ianno said of the governor.

In each of the last four election cycles, the party has fielded candidates in fewer than 80 seats, Ianno said. And if the 133 number holds, it will be the highest tally since 1990, when Republicans contested races in 158 districts, he said.

The state GOP last night produced a list of 133 potential candidates who had submitted qualifying signatures to cities and towns. Once cities and towns certify the signatures, they must be submitted to the secretary of state's office for final approval.

But the Democratic Party was skeptical of Ianno's claims yesterday. Signatures will not be fully certified for several weeks, said Jane Lane, director of communications for the Massachusetts Democratic Party.

"We have reason to doubt those figures at this point," Lane said. "There is always a chance that any of these candidates could not have the required number of certified signatures. What we know is, they have been actively recruiting, they have been dialing for candidates. We have heard that for the past several months, they are literally dialing through the directory asking people to run against Democratic incumbents."

The GOP designated 100 captains across the state who identified potential candidates by talking to neighborhood activists and passing names along to the party.

"The state party and the governor attacked this in a very methodical, grassroots manner," said Alex Dunn, political director for Romney's campaign committee.

Dunn has promised unprecedented support on behalf of the party: advice on strategy, technical help, voter lists, volunteers, and, most importantly, cash. The party currently has about $500,000 on hand, and is raising money aggressively, he said.

The party threw its weight behind Representative Scott P. Brown in a recent special election to succeed Senator Cheryl Jacques, a Needham Democrat, raising more than $100,000 for the Wrentham Republican. Romney appeared with Brown in the district several times, and the party has seen Brown's victory in that race as a sign of things to come.

Rob Cunningham, who managed Brown's campaign, and who is now managing the Senate campaign of Falmouth lawyer Tim Duncan, said his new candidate expects plenty of help. Duncan, a former volunteer on Romney's gubernatorial campaign, will be making his first run for office, against Senate Ways and Means chairwoman Therese Murray.

In any case, Lane said there are at least a dozen Democrats who have filed papers and intend to run in districts held by Republicans.

"Obviously we have vast majorities in both branches, but we do have a good number of candidates who are challenging the few Republican incumbents," she said. "But even if their numbers pan out, we're in a very good position."