Stung by a string of embarrassing election losses, in-fighting, and anemic fund-raising, Massachusetts Republicans have made a change.
Party members voted this week to oust controversial two-term MassGOP Chair Jim Lyons. He was replaced by Amy Carnevale.
She is a resident of Marblehead, who is employed as a Washington D.C. lobbyist.
Carnevale got to work right away, hiring a new executive director for the MassGOP.
She also did something Lyons had often refused to – give local media interviews.
Carnevale spoke with WAMC’s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill.
Paul Tuthill
You know, some might describe the job of rebuilding the Republican Party in Massachusetts as Mission Impossible. Why did you decide to take it on?
Amy Carnevale
I decided to run for the position because I care about having a two party system in Massachusetts, I've been an active and committed Republican all my life. And seeing the struggle that our party has been under for the past year, especially, you know, I felt like I had to step up to try to do a better job for on behalf of our candidates, and those serving in office.
Paul Tuthill
So where do you begin? What are the first steps? I know, you announced the hiring of an executive director this week, but else has to happen?
Amy Carnevale
Yeah, so initially, you know, I'm getting my arms around our financial situation, with our state party, it does appear that we are in the red. So a fundraising is an early priority, to get our party functioning and operational again, I think with a positive message, I'm confident I can raise the money necessary to support our staff and our candidate. And then from there, it's really outreach and talking to voters about what we can bring to the table to bring back a two party system.
Paul Tuthill
A positive message you mentioned in fundraising, what might that positive message sound like?
Amy Carnevale
Well, you know, we're gonna support candidates, really up and down the ticket, who can present a message to voters that that can be effective in their elections. I think, you know, in the past, the party tended to kind of pick and win candidates. And, you know, I'm not going to do that I'm going to support candidates across the board. And also the infrastructure necessary to support candidates, particularly at the at the local level. I've already made an appointment of John Featherston. He's a volunteer director for me for recruitment and training of candidates, even at the municipal level. And that's going to help build our bench for the future.
Paul Tuthill
That's a long term process, though, right? Building a bench, I mean. That's gonna take that's gonna take time. Right? So we're not looking at overnight successes here?
Amy Carnevale
No, certainly, rebuilding the party is going to take time, it is going to be a long term process. On the other hand, you know, I am confident, you know, we can we can raise the money necessary to have some victories in the upcoming municipal elections and then down the road, at the state level in two years.
Paul Tuthill
You think you can be competitive in 2024? There's a US Senate election. Democrat, Elizabeth Warren has said she's going to run again, all the house seats are up, so will be the entire state legislature. Are you going to be competitive everywhere in 2024? Or will you be selective?
Amy Carnevale
Yeah, certainly, we'll be looking statewide at that Senate race. I think Elizabeth Warren, based on her record, you know, is, you know, we can we can field the competitive candidate to compete in that election. And then in the House races? Certainly will we'll start the process now of looking at candidates who can be competitive in the in the US House races.
Paul Tuthill
Is there a fissure in the in the Republican Party in Massachusetts, between what's been described as the Baker wing and the Trump wing?
Amy Carnevale
No, I think it's no secret that the party has had its difficulties over the last two years, we have been plagued with some, some lawsuits, you know, amongst Republicans, and that's part of the reason that I ran for party chair is to try to put those those differences behind us. I think, frankly, with the with the Governor Baker now out of office, it presents a new opportunity for the party to come together and unite its focus on on electing Republicans to office.
Paul Tuthill
You supported both President Trump and Governor Baker, correct?
Amy Carnevale
I did. I did. I am a conservative Republican, but I'm a pragmatist. And sometimes in Massachusetts, we need to moderate our message a bit to try to reach out to unenrolled voters, our enrollment is down under 9% as Republican and in the state. So you know, just looking at the math alone, we have to reach out to those other enrolled voters to earn their trust to get our candidates elected to office.
Paul Tuthill
When you say moderate your message, that sounds like your like you're intentionally trying to downplay some of the party positions?
Amy Carnevale
Well, I, you know, I wouldn't necessarily call it downplay, I would say, you know, focus on talking and prioritizing those issues that frankly matter most to residents of the Commonwealth. And, you know, typically those are pocketbook issues of taxes, fiscal discipline, you know, those have been winning messages for our candidates in the past.
Paul Tuthill
Yeah. I mean, historically, going back decades now, I'd say all the way back to Governor ( William) Weld in 1990, it is said the formula for success for a Republican running in Massachusetts is to be a fiscal conservative and a social moderate, is that accurate? Does that model still work do you think?
Amy Carnevale
The messaging for our candidates, you know, I'm going to leave that to the candidates themselves to determine as party chair, you know, I, you know, I do think we need to have a bit more moderate message, particularly when running statewide. But again, as party chair, I'm not going to be in the business of picking winners or losers, I will support our candidates across the board.
Paul Tuthill
How important is enrollment for the party boosting, (Are you concerned with) your enrollment numbers?
Amy Carnevale
Yeah, you know, I think, you know, on two fronts, psychologically, it's important. You know, I'd like to see our enrollment numbers increase. The Democrats, by the way, they are they're bleeding numbers as well. So their enrollment is down as well. And we now have a majority, I think it's about 60%. On enrolled. But certainly, party enrollment is important. I think we need to get back to a point where people are proud to say they're Republicans. And, you know, too often, that's not the case currently.
Paul Tuthill
Why is that? Why do you believe people are not proud to say they're they're Republicans? Is it the losing streak in the elections? Or is it or is it something else?
Amy Carnevale
Yeah, you know, I think part of it tends to be the losing streak. But, you know, some I think our image has been hurt in recent years. People tend to tend to have an idea of Republicans as you know, overly aggressive, sometimes mean spirited. And that's not the case with most of us. It's certainly not the case with me. So, you know, I'm going to work hard on our on our party image and, you know, talking about conservative principles in a way that appeals to unenrolled voters,
Paul Tuthill
your counterpart in the in the Democratic Party in Massachusetts, Gus Bickford put out a statement after your election saying that the hope that we could disagree without being disagreeable. Do you support that sentiment?
Amy Carnevale
Yeah, I do. I do. I think, you know, my philosophy is we can talk about policy positions, and certainly work to define disagreements between candidates and in our parties. But it's not necessary to crossover to that as a personal attack. And so that's not my style. And I don't think you'll see that coming from our party under my leadership.
Paul Tuthill
Anything else you want folks to know?
Amy Carnevale
You know, I also just want to mention, you know, Western Massachusetts is certainly, you know, a priority for me, our Vice Chair of our party, Dr. Jay Fleitman, lives in Northampton, and along with one of my members of my leadership, team who's in East Longmeadow. So, I'm going to work hard to get out to Western Massachusetts and rely on my leadership team members who are in Western Mass because to move our party forward, we need we need all residents of the Commonwealth to do that.
