GOP Group Has Eye On Jeff Perry To Go All The Way
| GOP candidate Jeff Perry got a major national boost yesterday when he was named a “Young Gun” by the Republican Congressional Committee, raising the potential of new ammo for his duel with rival Democrat William R. Keating.
“We believe Jeff Perry is in a very good position to win – even in Massachusetts,” said RCC spokesman Tory Mazzolla. “This is a very winable seat.” The designation by the Washington, D.C.-based Republican committee doesn’t come with direct funds, but flags the Perry campaign for donations by monied GOP donors eager to back a winning candidate, said Jim Nuzzo, a Republican consultant. “This is a stamp of approval by the national party,” Nuzzo said. “They think Perry has a darn good chance of winning.” “If you’re a deep-pockets guy, this will help you decide,” Nuzzo said. Perry, who is running to replacing retiring Democrat U.S. Rep. William Delahunt, said the recognition could help even the odds: “The Democratic candidates always have the support of the national and the unions,” Perry said. “We in Massachusetts don’t have the support of the national party because they didn’t think we could win until Scott Brown. Now we have a more level playing field.” Not all Bay State Republicans are getting a similar boost, however. Republican candidate Sean Bielat, who yesterday unveiled an internal poll putting him just 10 points behind U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Newton), didn’t make the GOP committee’s short list. “Sean is a great guy, and that’s not to say (the race) won’t be competitive,” Mazzolla said. But he said Perry’s race is for “an open seat where Scott Brown won 60 percent of the vote.” |