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Race of the Day: Richard Tisei #MA06

Running against Rep. John Tierney (D-MA), Young Gun candidate Richard Tisei has what it takes to compete and win in Democrat-friendly Massachusetts. A lifelong resident of Massachusetts’ sixth congressional district, Tisei has represented the North Shore in the state senate, where he was a strong advocate for balanced budgets and reducing taxes on families and small businesses.  

The Boston Globe profiled Tisei in a recent article, noting that:  

“Tisei, 49, is an unlikely character to lead an uprising. On the North Shore campaign trail, he comes off as affable, yet toned down, his pressed shirts as neat as his slicked-back hair. He does not breathe fire. He does not speak in slogans. Instead he seeks to win over voters with a promise that ¬after 26 years in the Democrat-¬dominated Legislature, he knows how to reach across the aisle….

“The possibility that the Republican could topple a Democrat and win a House seat in Massachusetts, which last had a Republican congressman in 1997, has made the race a priority for the GOP. The party is prepared to pour money into the campaign and even sent House Speaker John Boehner for a exclusive fund-raiser at the Taj Boston hotel last month. Washington oddsmakers have promised that this is a campaign to watch.”

David Wasserman of the Cook Report says the race in MA-06 this fall will be “a true New England barnburner Democrats didn't need or want”: 

“Tisei already has more cash on hand than Tierney: he reported $801,000 to the incumbent's $693,000 at the end of June. A Boston suburbanite and openly gay, Tisei isn't your run of the mill Republican. Over the course of 14 local elections, he has developed deep relationships with Boston media and donors. His fellow state legislative Republicans could fit in a phone booth, and he's had no choice but to work with Democrats to get things done. While Tierney has been a reliable Democratic vote, Tisei boasts of his refusal to sign the Americans for Tax Reform pledge….At this early point, private polling suggests the offshore gambling controversy has badly eroded Tierney's favorability and created a true New England barnburner Democrats didn't need or want. We'll have more on this race soon, but for now we are moving it to the Toss Up column.”

The competitive race for MA-06 is another strong signal that the “the GOP is playing offense,” as Speaker Boehner recently noted. 

To learn more about candidates like Richard Tisei, make sure you explore the Freedom Project’s interactive map and check out the “featured slates” to support doctors, small businessmen, veterans – or a slate of candidates from your home state.