Election season is heating up - notice all those political ads on television these days? So Patch reached out to West Roxbury's Katie Regan, the vice chair of the Boston Ward 20 Republican Committee, as well as the chair of the Massachusetts Federation of Young Republicans Executive Committee.

Regan shared her point-of-view on the growth of the Republican party in West Roxbury, Massachusetts, and why she supports Scott Brown.

Patch: While many people are focused on Massachusetts' US Senate race, there are other local races. What are some of the local races that you are watching and why?

Regan: It is a very exciting year to be a Republican in Massachusetts. While Massachusetts is in the national political spotlight this year with former Governor of Massachusetts Mitt Romney topping the GOP ticket and Senator Scott Brown’s reelection campaign, the local race that I am paying close attention to is Republican candidate Jim Stanton for State Representative in the 12^th Norfolk district which consists of Norwood and half of Walpole. Norwood is part of the Norfolk & Suffolk State Senate district that includes West Roxbury.

Jim Stanton is originally from Hyde Park and is now living with his wife and three children in East Walpole. Jim almost won in 2010 against a 20-year Democrat incumbent. Since Senator Brown should easily carry both Norwood and Walpole, it seems that Stanton has a good chance to win this year adding to the 17 House seats Republicans gained in 2010. Jim refuses to be outworked and is spending every waking moment doorknocking and meeting voters in the 12th Norfolk district. This is definitely a race to watch on November 6th!     

Patch: West Roxbury has been regarded as a Democratic Party stronghold, but more and more people are outwardly supporting Republican candidates, and US Senator Scott Brown did narrowly win West Roxbury. Why do you think more West Roxbury residents are supporting the Republican Party? Or are they more publicly supporting the Republican Party? Is it no longer taboo to be a Republican in Massachusetts?

Regan: I have been a registered Republican since I was 18 years old. I do not believe that is has ever been taboo to be a Massachusetts Republican, just rare.  Many people believe and support commonsense solutions, fiscal responsibility, low taxes, fewer regulations and strong work and family values.

Over the past 20 years the Massachusetts Republican Party has failed to run a grassroots effort to register voters and recruit strong Republican candidates to run for office thus giving voters a choice. During the same period of time the Massachusetts Democrats have been able to lock down a coordinated campaign strategy. By running together as a team despite political differences, both conservative and liberal Democrats have been able to coordinate and work together to help elect all candidates up and down the Democrat ticket.

As a result Massachusetts has become a one-party system with Democrats in power – how’s that working out for ya? Not good.    

Full Democrat control has resulted in Massachusetts not only being the most blue state in the nation, it has become the most liberal state. After 20 plus years of the Democratic party embracing a very liberal agenda many communities are realizing that the Democratic party is no longer aligned with the middle class and blue-collar community values from the past.  As the saying goes – “I didn’t leave the Democrat Party, it left me.”  

This especially rings true in West Roxbury which is a tight knit community that embraces strong work and family values. We want to work hard to pay our rent or mortgage, live in a safe and clean neighborhood, provide our kids a solid education so they have a chance at a successful future, retire with our grandchildren close by and, of course, every once in awhile be able to enjoy a nice dinner out at the Corrib Restaurant or West on Centre. 

Voters are waking up to the fact that most of our elected officials are not committed to the same wants and needs but are instead beholden to special interest groups with very liberal tax and spend agendas.  

West Roxbury supports Scott Brown because he brings common sense solutions to Washington D.C. and is a proven fighter for jobs and a strong economy in Massachusetts. Scott Brown shows his loyalty to the people of Massachusetts by being the most bipartisan Senator in Washington D.C. proving that he is an independent voice and votes based on the issue, not the party. I believe that is what most people want and expect from our elected officials. Honestly I think we need more elected officials like Scott Brown on Beacon Hill and in Washington D.C. so that our government is run by people committed to the people instead of an ideology or special interest group.  

Patch: Do you think President Obama was born in Hawaii? Do you think Mitt Romney is a unicorn?

Regan: I see right through this question, Mr. Ertischek! 

Patch: There is no Republican candidate running against either state Rep. Ed Coppinger, D-West Roxbury, or state Sen. Mike Rush, D-Boston, what does that say to you?

Regan: While it is hard to run as a Republican in Boston, it is not impossible with the right message, money, and support. I am deeply committed to electing a Republican in Boston, however, I understand that it will not happen overnight.  

The Boston Ward 20 Republican Committee reorganized in 2009 and since then we have been picking up steam each year. Also over the past year and a half I have been working with many other Republicans throughout Boston to reactivate many of the other Republican Ward Committees in all neighborhoods of Boston including Roxbury, Dorchester, Hyde Park, East Boston to name a few. We have made huge progress -  during the 2010 election cycle we only had 7 of 22 Boston Wards organized and in less than two years we now have 18 of 22 organized. It has been a very rewarding experience to meet many Republicans from across the city that are tired of the status quo and ready to stand up and fight for change. Stay tuned!