Red Candidates, Blue State

With the recent elections of U.S. Senator Scott Brown and State Senator Richard Ross, Wrentham Republicans have seen a surprising degree of success in what is typically a heavily Democratic state.

This begs the question: why have these candidates done so well in a state that historically rejects the Republican Party platform?

Perhaps more important is what, if any, implications this success has on the rest of the state.

Sen. Ross said he believed the town is not as closely tied to the Democratic Party as some might believe.

"In Wrentham, I think there are twice as many independents as there are Democrats and Republicans combined," he said. "The people here do have some conservative values."

Ross, though, said the biggest factor in the recent success is the quality of local candidates.

"We happen to have some Republican candidates who are moderate enough to gain their trust," he said. "They don't want someone who would pull them to the edges."

He said he believed state party support was a minimal factor in the elections.

"It's not the party so much as the candidates," he said. "I know, the year I was elected, [Governor] Mitt Romney ran 132 candidates that were not elected. I ran on my own."

According to Ross, a key factor in the elections was the fact that Brown and himself were known quantities to the community.

"I think it's really important for candidates to show they're committed to the district," he said. "They have to be willing to step up and serve on the school committee or board of selectmen — Scott and I both were former selectmen."

"Many times, challengers don't have those qualities," he added.

Tarah Breed, a spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Republican Party, attributed the success of the candidates to a combination of factors.

"I would say it's about motivated voters wanting to help strong Republican candidates," she said. "I think the reason for success there is a very motivated volunteer base."

She said she believed the party's support is strong in Wrentham.

"There's some real energy and enthusiasm coming from Wrentham and the surrounding area," she said. "We have an office in Wrentham where volunteers can give calls in support of local candidates."

Ms. Breed suggested that the local success is part of a larger undercurrent of dissatisfaction.

"I think a lot of voters have had enough of taxes," she said. "Voters are seeing the results of having one party on Beacon Hill and Capitol Hill."

She said she "absolutely" believed the Wrentham success would translate to the rest of the state.

George Smith, the chairman of the Wrentham Democratic Party, said his party must clearly elaborate its values if it is to win elections.

"We want to make sure people understand what our party's all about," he said. "There's been a tremendous amount accomplished — I think more has been done under [Governor] Deval [Patrick] than in the past 30 years under some people."

He said the party should highlight the achievements of the current administration, citing ethics reform and the state's balanced budget.

"If all these things are going for you, why would you want things to change the other way?" he said.

Smith said it was important the parties work together to govern the state.

"Many Republicans have chosen not to take part in things to make others look bad," he said. "This is not a matter of getting back at someone, it's a matter of getting things to work."