Rep to leave Beacon Hill for Taunton mayoral bid
Shaunna O’Connell one of few Republican women in House
State Rep. Shaunna O’Connell, long a strong Republican voice on Democrat-dominated Beacon Hill, will leave her post in the Legislature to run for mayor in her hometown of Taunton.
“I really feel like I can make a difference directly in my community,” O’Connell told the Herald. “I love my city and now is a time for new leadership to take our city to the next step, to the next level and I am looking forward to doing that.”
O’Connell announced her plans this week after nine years in the Legislature. She is one of eight Republican women in the House of Representatives. There are no Republican women in the Senate.
When asked if she thinks there needs to be more of an effort within the GOP to recruit women in the Legislature, O’Connell said, “I think it’s challenging for all women at all levels of government and we need to see women running for all sorts of different offices.”
MassGOP Chairman Jim Lyons said that he is recruiting people, and that one of the party’s prime objectives right now is to get more Republicans elected in both the House and the Senate. There are only 32 Republicans among 160 House members, and 6 Republicans in the 40-member Senate.
“I think Rep. O’Connell did a terrific job in the Legislature,” Lyons said. “She’s been a leader since the day she walked in there, an outspoken advocate for issues she’s been concerned about. I think she accomplished a lot in the Legislature and I’m sure she’ll do a terrific job as mayor for the city of Taunton.”
Baker announced Monday he was tapping Mayor Thomas Hoye as the interim Bristol County register of probate, and Hoye, a Democrat, said he would step down as mayor later this year and not seek reelection. O’Connell announced her campaign shortly after.
The move gave potential candidates for a newly open seat a window of just one day to file their nomination papers and 25 signatures with Taunton City Hall. By the 5 p.m. Tuesday deadline, O’Connell, City Councilor Estele Borges, unenrolled candidate Peter Bzdula and Republican Mark Baptiste had returned the paperwork.