Politics

Super PAC looks ahead to 2022

Says candidates it supported this year won 18 of 24 races

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THE CHAIRMAN of the Massachusetts Majority super PAC said on Wednesday that his organization fared well in this week’s elections and, with $600,000 in available cash, is well-positioned to do the same in 2022.

Gov. Charlie Baker raises a lot of money for the super PAC because he supports its goal of helping moderate and fiscally responsible Democrats and Republicans. In 2021, the super PAC raised $911,105 from 42 donors and made close to $300,000 in expenditures on behalf of 24 candidates – four who are registered as unenrolled, eight who are Democrats, and 10 who are Republicans. Two others ran successfully in  elections earlier this year.

Leominster developer Greg Lisciotti, the chair of the super PAC, said 16 of the 24 candidates won their election contests, a 75 percent success rate. Of the six candidates who lost, three were Republicans, two were unenrolled, and one was a Democrat.

“The overwhelming success of candidates backed by Massachusetts Majority Independent Expenditure PAC confirms that voters desire vibrant communities, a thriving economy, and responsible local government,” Lisciotti said. “Massachusetts Majority Independent Expenditure PAC has over $600,000 in cash on hand, and is well-positioned to continue its efforts in 2022.”

Lisciotti said the number of candidates supported by the super PAC was five  higher than what CommonWealth has been reporting because spending information on three races in Haverhill, Peabody, and Beverly went to the town clerks in those communities rather than the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance. Two other races were held in the spring and were reported directly to town clerks.

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Bruce Mohl

Editor, CommonWealth
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About Bruce Mohl

Bruce Mohl is the editor of CommonWealth magazine. Bruce came to CommonWealth from the Boston Globe, where he spent nearly 30 years in a wide variety of positions covering business and politics. He covered the Massachusetts State House and served as the Globe’s State House bureau chief in the late 1980s. He also reported for the Globe’s Spotlight Team, winning a Loeb award in 1992 for coverage of conflicts of interest in the state’s pension system. He served as the Globe’s political editor in 1994 and went on to cover consumer issues for the newspaper. At CommonWealth, Bruce helped launch the magazine’s website and has written about a wide range of issues with a special focus on politics, tax policy, energy, and gambling. Bruce is a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He lives in Dorchester.

About Bruce Mohl

Bruce Mohl is the editor of CommonWealth magazine. Bruce came to CommonWealth from the Boston Globe, where he spent nearly 30 years in a wide variety of positions covering business and politics. He covered the Massachusetts State House and served as the Globe’s State House bureau chief in the late 1980s. He also reported for the Globe’s Spotlight Team, winning a Loeb award in 1992 for coverage of conflicts of interest in the state’s pension system. He served as the Globe’s political editor in 1994 and went on to cover consumer issues for the newspaper. At CommonWealth, Bruce helped launch the magazine’s website and has written about a wide range of issues with a special focus on politics, tax policy, energy, and gambling. Bruce is a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He lives in Dorchester.

The three additional candidates in the fall elections were all Republicans – Shaun Toohey, who won a seat on the city council in Haverhill; Anne Manning-Martin, who was re-elected to the city council in Peabody; and Matt St. Hilaire, who was elected to the city council in Beverly. St. Hilaire defeated Dominic Copeland, the city’s first Black councilor.

Baker said earlier this week he likes to raise money for the super PAC but has no control over which candidates it endorses. It’s unclear whether the super PAC’s plan to be active in 2022 is another indication that Baker plans to remain politically active next year and run for a third term.

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