Where's the party?
15 Republican candidates took on region's Democrats in 2004; this year is a different story
Two years ago, Governor Mitt Romney declared his mission to rebuild the state Republican Party, starting with the Democrat-dominated Legislature. Buoyed by his win in 2002, Romney and other GOP leaders had recruited more than 100 candidates, most to take on entrenched incumbents. Romney raised money for the candidates and campaigned with them while the state party ran advertising to support them.
The outcome? Republicans did not unseat a single incumbent in 2004.
With the 2006 state election season getting underway, the Republican offensive against Democratic incumbents is considerably muted. In the suburbs south of Boston, only a handful of GOP candidates are plotting races against Democratic representatives and senators. In 2004, thanks to Romney's efforts, 15 Democratic legislators from the region faced Republican challengers.
''It is my sense in conversations with Republican colleagues there is no such effort this year," said Thomas J. O'Brien, a Kingston Democrat who defeated challen- ger Paul Curtis of Plymouth two years ago.
Unlike most of his GOP colleagues on that slate, Curtis plans to run again against O'Brien, a five-term incumbent, this year.
In 2004, state Senator Therese Murray of Plymouth, a prominent Democrat who chairs the Senate Ways and Means Committee, faced a wealthy businessman, Timothy E. Duncan of Falmouth. Murray prevailed in an expensive and bitter campaign. So far, she has no Republican opposition this year.
Other area Democrats who had to fight for reelection two years ago but are without announced opposition now include Representatives David L. Flynn of Bridgewater, Joseph R. Driscoll Jr. of Braintree, Christine E. Canavan and Geraldine Creedon of Brockton, William M. Straus of Mattapoisett, Bruce J. Ayers of Quincy, Angelo M. Scaccia of Hyde Park, and William C. Galvin of Canton, as well as Senators Marc R. Pacheco of Taunton and Robert S. Creedon of Brockton.
The state Republican Party maintains that it is not conceding the 2006 legislative election. Matt Wylie, executive director of the state GOP, said that a lot of candidates will come forward before election ballots are set in June.
''We are going to pick up seats," Wylie said.
Flynn said he harbored some hard feelings about GOP attacks against him in 2004. He said the governor recently told him he would not be recruiting anyone to take on Flynn. ''He said he'd had enough concerns of his own without recruiting candidates to run against representatives and senators," Flynn said.
Romney, who is not seeking reelection, is eyeing the US presidency. ''Obviously, he's preoccupied," said Republican state Senator Robert L. Hedlund of Weymouth.
Another reason the GOP may not have the taste for an offensive against Democratic lawmakers this year is the disappointing outcome of the 2004 contests. Not only did the Republicans fail to unseat a single incumbent; they actually lost ground by failing to hang on to an open Senate seat that they had held.
In 2004, Democrat James E. Timilty of Walpole defeated Republican David W. McCarter for the Senate seat that had been held by Republican Jo Ann Sprague of Walpole.
Beth Pelick, a Walpole real estate broker, has filed as a candidate for Timilty's seat. .
Several other Republicans have either launched campaigns against Democratic incumbents or are considering running. Timothy Gillespie of Hanover has filed papers to run against Representative Robert J. Nyman of Hanover, and James Aldred of Randolph has registered as a candidate for the seat of Senator Brian A. Joyce of Milton. Robert Thomas of Weymouth is eyeing the seat of Representative James M. Murphy of Weymouth, and Robert Green of Hingham is considering a challenge to Representative Garrett J. Bradley of Hingham, according to John Cafferty, Republican state committeeman from Hingham.
A pair of open House seats in the region could offer the best opportunity for the GOP to pick up ground. Democratic Representatives Kathleen M. Teahan of Whitman and Philip Travis of Rehoboth both have announced they will not seek reelection. Republicans have traditionally done well in the two districts.
R. Andrew Burbine of Abington, former Republican register of probate in Plymouth County, has filed papers to run for Teahan's seat, as have two Democrats, Allen J. McCarthy, son of former representative Robert McCarthy of East Bridgewater, and Thomas J. Evans, a longtime political activist from Whitman.
Steven Howitt, a Seekonk Republican who ran unsuccessfully against Democrat Travis in 2004, is planning to run again for the open seat, according to Republican state committeeman Christopher Fava of Plymouth.
The secretary of state's office made nomination papers available for state legislative candidates last month. They are due back at city and town halls on May 2. The party primaries are Sept. 19, and the final election is Nov. 7.
Fava, who ran unsuccessfully for state Senate in 2002, said candidates who hope to unseat an incumbent should start raising money more than a year in advance.
''The later it gets, the more difficult it is for a challenger unless they have serious name recognition and a lot of money," Fava said.
Cafferty said he thinks the GOP will still put up a good field of candidates. ''It looks very slow this year," Cafferty said. ''At the state party level I'm sure they are trying to get people to run. There's plenty of time left."
Robert Preer can be reached at preer@globe.com. 