Republicans Pick Romney's Choice

BOSTON—Voters in yesterday’s Republican primary united behind their gubernatorial nominee’s choice for lieutenant governor, electing Kerry M. Healey ’82 over challenger and real estate developer James Rappaport by a two-to-one margin.

Healey’s victory was the most crucial because, though W. Mitt Romney is the party’s uncontested nominee for governor, Healey faced a tough battle with Rappaport—whom Romney had denounced in recent weeks.

Belvedere Goes Off-the-Air

The scene at Rappoport headquarters in the Belevedere room of the Back Bay Hilton was one of hushed and nervous anticipation of the results of this maverick candidate’s months of efforts to be the lieutenant governor—despite Romney’s best efforts.

As 9:00 p.m. came, one hour after the polls closed, slips of paper with the disappointing polling numbers scratched on them were passed from campaign organizers to volunteers.

As the outcome became apparent, the din among campaign workers shifted to the effort to minimize damage to the party that the race created.

Rep. Michael J. Coppola (R-Foxboro), one of Rappaport’s few supporters among the Massachusetts Republican House delegation, predicted he would suffer little legislative fallout from his support for the losing candidate.

“I think we can get beyond this,” he said. “There are too few of us [Republicans] in the state to hold grudges. We all hold the same goals.”

At 10:10 p.m., when Rappaport officially conceded to Healey, the candidate delivered his address over cheers of “Class act, Jim!” Hinting at his future plans, Rappoport focused his remarks on health care policy, which he vowed to help fix.

In “either public or private” roles, he said he would work to end the legislature’s “hodgepodge, band-aids, and half-measures.”

Triumvirate

Healey had been trailing in the polling in the weeks leading up to the vote as a result of Rappaport’s strong television presence.

But last night she celebrated an overwhelming victory by handing out brooms to her supporters and instructing them to help her “clean up the mess on Beacon Hill.”

“We will roll back taxes, we have a plan to make our schools great, we have a plan for more affordable housing,” she said. “Voters have sent a message that it is time for a new era. That new era is the Romney era.”

Romney then addressed the crowd, which numbered nearly 1,000, issuing a challenge to supporters of Democratic “reform campaign” candidates Robert B. Reich and Warren E. Tolman to join his drive to end “mismanagment” on Beacon Hill.

He further cemented his outsider image by pointing out that he and Healey had “not lived on Beacon Hill for the past few decades but out with other citizens.”

Romney lives in the affluent suburb of Belmont, Mass.

By the time their remarks had ended, Rappoport joined them on stage in a show of support for the ticket.

Grabauskas Emerges Victorious

Also yesterday Republican voters picked Daniel A. Grabauskas to be their nominee for state treasurer in a race that will allow the party to capitalize on the widespread support he gained for his administration of the Registry of Motor Vehicles.

By a close vote, Grabauskas defeated local businessperson Bruce A. Herzfelder ’81 to become the first openly gay statewide Republican candidate.

Joined onstage by his longtime partner Paul Keenan and dozens of other supporters, he pledged “to all the people in Massachusetts, to first and foremost make excellence the watchword” of his administration.

He touted his achievements at the Department of Motor Vehicles, where he slashed average waiting times for customer services from more than an hour to 10 minutes.

Now he faces Democratic nominee and Norfolk County Treasurer Timothy P. Cahill in November’s general election.

“This is a big state, and not many people are paying attention to this race,” he said in an interview. “The Democrats chose the candidate they wanted, but I am sure I could have bested any of them.”

—Staff writer Ronaldo Rauseo-Ricupero can be reached at rauseo@fas.harvard.edu.