Massachusetts: gay candidate still in GOP race

by Ann Rostow
Gay.com / PlanetOut.com Network

Massachusetts politics has taken something of a surprising turn in the last two days, as incumbent Acting Governor Jane Swift bowed out of the governor's race, leaving her openly gay running mate still in the contest.

Swift pulled out when it became clear that she would face an overwhelming challenge in the Republican primary from former Senate candidate Mitt Romney. Shortly after Swift's announcement on Tuesday, Romney, a 55-year-old Mormon who most recently ran the Salt Lake City Olympic Organizing Committee, officially entered the campaign. According to the Boston Globe, Romney would have been able to tap his own personal fortune for the funds necessary to beat Swift, perhaps $10 million.

Romney's wealth, combined with his lead in public opinion polls, led the Republican mother of three to fold her cards before the game began. In doing so, Swift abandoned her running mate, openly gay former Melrose Mayor Patrick Guerriero, 33.

According to Chris Ferguson, head of the gay Massachusetts Log Cabin Republicans, the practice of gubernatorial candidates selecting running mates for the lieutenant governor's post began in 1990. Although the two posts are elected separately, every successful gubernatorial campaign since that date has been matched with a victory by the governor's hand-picked lieutenant governor.

Ferguson thinks there's a "50-50 chance" that Romney will now choose to run with Guerriero, and Guerriero has publicly expressed a desire to join Romney's campaign. However, Romney could select Guerriero's opponent in the GOP primary, James Rappaport. Or, he could bring someone new into the race for lieutenant governor.

If a new candidate is to emerge, however, he or she must enter the campaign before the April 6 GOP state convention, where candidates must qualify for the September primary.

According to Ferguson, it's unlikely that Romney will team up with businessman James Rappaport. If Romney does not pick a running mate, Rappaport and Guerriero will fight it out one on one, a difficult contest for the lesser-known, younger Guerriero, but still a contest Ferguson thinks he can win.

"It's going to be a tough campaign," said Ferguson of the two-man battle, "but Patrick is a great candidate; he's determined, he's disciplined and he'll do wonderfully in September."

Swift's departure is bad news for the Democrats, who are preparing for a five-man primary race while Romney prepares to cruise unopposed to the general election.

"The piñata known as Jane Swift has been taken down," Democratic political consultant Dan Payne told the Globe on Tuesday. "If you're in the race, it's not a good day."

Posted March 20, 2002