AT CITY PUB, LOSSES PILE UP AND GOP PONDERS ITS FUTURE
By Gintautas Dumcius
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE
BOSTON, NOV. 5, 2008…..By 10 pm on Election Night, Republican Dan Haley had
conceded to Democrat Carolyn Dykema in the race to replace Rep. Paul Loscocco (R-
Holliston).
Attleboro Democrat Bill Bowles was on his way to a win against George Ross in the
campaign to succeed Rep. John Lepper, an Attleboro Republican. And Democrat Brian Ashe
was cruising past William Scibelli in the race for the seat of retiring Rep. Mary Rogeness, an
East Longmeadow Republican.
By the end of the night, the Republican minority in the 160-member House got a little
smaller, shrinking to 16 seats, in a year the state GOP was hoping to make some gains and
two years after losing their 16-year hold on the governor's office.
"We have to stay guardedly optimistic," said Jack Roy, chairman of the Haverhill Republican
Town Committee. "We have nothing else to look forward to."
The other option?
"Move to Canada," he quipped as the flat-screen televisions at the Lir Irish Pub showed
Democratic gains at the national level with wins in the U.S. House and Senate, along with
the White House.
Or maybe 40 years "in the wilderness," Roy added, taking a sip of his beer. "Like Moses. I
don't know."
Dozens of Republicans milled around the bar on the second floor of the Boylston Street pub,
as televisions tuned to FOX25 and FOX News displayed election tallies.
Four blocks away, Massachusetts Democrats crammed the ballroom - and several
backrooms for private receptions held by U.S. Sen. John Kerry and House Speaker
Salvatore DiMasi - at the Fairmont Copley Hotel.
For former Gov. Paul Cellucci, the night's results brought back memories of 1986 and a
similarly disastrous election. Four years later, Massachusetts Republicans won the offices of
the governor, the lieutenant governor, state treasurer, and 16 out of 40 seats in the Senate,
he noted.
"The pendulum swings and this was about a tidal wave for Barack Obama," Cellucci said.
"It'll be different two years from now. We're not going to give up."
Peter Torkildsen, chair of the state GOP and a former U.S. Congressman, said the party will
have more candidates for the Legislature in 2010 and more of a focus on local issues.
"I think we will have one or more A-class candidates for governor," he added. "I wouldn't
be surprised if he [Gov. Deval Patrick] has a primary opponent."
In back of the pub, several GOP interns tapped away on laptops at a "war table," phoning
city clerks for results and then circling the names of the winners of the 27 races on a
whiteboard in front of them.
Shawn Burke, one of the interns, remained optimistic and said a Senate seat is likely to open
up, with rumors of Kerry leaving for an Obama administration post, along with Patrick.
"The party, at least nationally, needs to go back to the basics of small government and
individual rights," he said. "It hurts right now, but growth hurts a little when it happens."
Shortly after 11 pm, CNN called the election for Obama. A cheer and wild screams came
from downstairs.
Upstairs, a young Republican from Marlborough sauntered over to the bar. "Tequila," she
said. "Now."
More articles are available at the News Service's website.
By Gintautas Dumcius
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE
BOSTON, NOV. 5, 2008…..By 10 pm on Election Night, Republican Dan Haley had
conceded to Democrat Carolyn Dykema in the race to replace Rep. Paul Loscocco (R-
Holliston).
Attleboro Democrat Bill Bowles was on his way to a win against George Ross in the
campaign to succeed Rep. John Lepper, an Attleboro Republican. And Democrat Brian Ashe
was cruising past William Scibelli in the race for the seat of retiring Rep. Mary Rogeness, an
East Longmeadow Republican.
By the end of the night, the Republican minority in the 160-member House got a little
smaller, shrinking to 16 seats, in a year the state GOP was hoping to make some gains and
two years after losing their 16-year hold on the governor's office.
"We have to stay guardedly optimistic," said Jack Roy, chairman of the Haverhill Republican
Town Committee. "We have nothing else to look forward to."
The other option?
"Move to Canada," he quipped as the flat-screen televisions at the Lir Irish Pub showed
Democratic gains at the national level with wins in the U.S. House and Senate, along with
the White House.
Or maybe 40 years "in the wilderness," Roy added, taking a sip of his beer. "Like Moses. I
don't know."
Dozens of Republicans milled around the bar on the second floor of the Boylston Street pub,
as televisions tuned to FOX25 and FOX News displayed election tallies.
Four blocks away, Massachusetts Democrats crammed the ballroom - and several
backrooms for private receptions held by U.S. Sen. John Kerry and House Speaker
Salvatore DiMasi - at the Fairmont Copley Hotel.
For former Gov. Paul Cellucci, the night's results brought back memories of 1986 and a
similarly disastrous election. Four years later, Massachusetts Republicans won the offices of
the governor, the lieutenant governor, state treasurer, and 16 out of 40 seats in the Senate,
he noted.
"The pendulum swings and this was about a tidal wave for Barack Obama," Cellucci said.
"It'll be different two years from now. We're not going to give up."
Peter Torkildsen, chair of the state GOP and a former U.S. Congressman, said the party will
have more candidates for the Legislature in 2010 and more of a focus on local issues.
"I think we will have one or more A-class candidates for governor," he added. "I wouldn't
be surprised if he [Gov. Deval Patrick] has a primary opponent."
In back of the pub, several GOP interns tapped away on laptops at a "war table," phoning
city clerks for results and then circling the names of the winners of the 27 races on a
whiteboard in front of them.
Shawn Burke, one of the interns, remained optimistic and said a Senate seat is likely to open
up, with rumors of Kerry leaving for an Obama administration post, along with Patrick.
"The party, at least nationally, needs to go back to the basics of small government and
individual rights," he said. "It hurts right now, but growth hurts a little when it happens."
Shortly after 11 pm, CNN called the election for Obama. A cheer and wild screams came
from downstairs.
Upstairs, a young Republican from Marlborough sauntered over to the bar. "Tequila," she
said. "Now."
More articles are available at the News Service's website.
 | |  | |  |
