What do state representatives Matt Muratore (R-Plymouth), Kathy LaNatra (D-Kingston), and Josh Cutler (D-Duxbury) have in common?
They all support each other’s re-election bids.
The three state legislators represent South Shore communities, and each has endorsed the other two in the November 2022 general election. In Muratore’s case, he is supporting LaNatra and Cutler over their respective Republican challengers in districts that were fairly competitive last time around.
Muratore, LaNatra, and Cutler are running a joint ad on WATD FM 95.9 in the run-up to the Tuesday, November 8, 2022 election urging South Shore residents to support their respective re-election bids.
Here is the transcript of the one-minute advertisement, paid for by the campaign accounts of all three current state reps:
Cutler: Hi, this is Representative Josh Cutler
LaNatra: I’m Rep Kathy LaNatra
Muratore: And I’m Rep Matt Muratore
Cutler: We may not all be from the same political party
LaNatra: But we all work together to solve problems
Muratore: And advocate for the South Shore
Cutler: So whether you care about economic development and job creation
LaNatra: Tackling substance use or mental health
Muratore: Or local aid and school funding
Cutler: By working together, we get more done
LaNatra: Yes. Teamwork and bipartisanship still matter.
Muratore: So this November, please vote for your bipartisan South Shore team
Cutler: Yes. That’s Cutler, LaNatra, and Muratore
LaNatra: Hey guys, how ’bout ladies first? I think it should be “LaNatra, Cutler, and Muratore.”
Muratore: Hey! Wait a minute? Why is the Republican always last? “Muratore, Cutler, and LaNatra” sounds much better.
Cutler: Stick to the script, guys. Didn’t we agree this would be alphabetical? That’s “Cutler, LaNatra, and Muratore.”
LaNatra: Yes, of course, Josh. You’re right. [whispers] So that’s LaNatra, Muratore, and Cutler.
Muratore: Working together. All for one and one for all. Muratore, LaNatra, and Cutler.
Male voiceover: On Tuesday, November 8, re-elect representatives Josh Cutler, Kathy LaNatra, and Matt Muratore. Working together, mostly, to improve our quality of life here on the South Shore.
Female voiceover: Paid for by the committees to elect Josh Cutler, Kathy LaNatra, and Matt Muratore
The trio recorded the advertisement at the WATD studio in Marshfield, Massachusetts on Thursday, October 6, a Facebook post from Muratore states.
In the top photo from left to right: Matt Muratore, Josh Cutler, and Kathy LaNatra In the bottom photo from left to right: Josh Cutler, WATD owner Ed Perry, Matt Muratore, and Kathy LaNatra
Since the three state representatives bought the ad this month, it’s unclear from public records how much they spent on it; their October campaign finance reports won’t be available until next month.
Muratore, who has represented the First Plymouth District since 2015, endorsed LaNatra and Cutler in their re-election bids even though they are both opposed by Republicans in two of the more competitive districts for Republicans in Massachusetts.
Cutler is being challenged by Hanson resident Ken Sweezey in the Sixth Plymouth District. And LaNatra is being challenged by Kingston resident Eric Meschino in the 12th Plymouth District. Cutler has been in office since 2013; LaNatra has been in since 2019.
The Sixth Plymouth District now includes: Duxbury, Halifax (Precinct 2), Hanson (Precincts 2 and 3), Marshfield (Precincts 2A and 4), and Pembroke (Precincts 1, 2, 3A, 4, and 5), according to the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office.
The 12th Plymouth District now includes: Halifax (Precincts 1 and 2A), Kingston, Middleborough (Precincts 1 and 5A), Pembroke (Precinct 3), Plymouth (Precincts 1, 2, 3, 5, and 13), and Plympton.
Conversely, Cutler and LaNatra endorsed Muratore against his Democratic opponent: Plymouth resident Stephen Michael Palmer. Muratore also ran against Palmer in 2020 and defeated him 56 percent to 44 percent.
The First Plymouth District, which Muratore represents, includes most of Plymouth (Precincts 2A, 3A, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18).
Cutler and LaNatra have zero percent ratings from the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, a limited government watchdog, this session; Muratore has an 88 percent rating. Additionally, Cutler and LaNatra both have a 76 percent rating from Progressive Massachusetts (the same score as Massachusetts House Speaker Ron Mariano (D-Quincy)), while Muratore has a 24 percent rating.
The Massachusetts Democratic Party has a supermajority in both chambers of the state legislature. The Massachusetts House of Representatives has 160 seats; Democrats outnumber Republicans 125-27. (Plus one: independent state representative Susannah Whipps (U-Athol) caucuses with the Democratic Party.) The other seven House seats are currently vacant.
In the Massachusetts Senate, Democrats outnumber Republicans 36-3; one seat is currently vacant.
Meschino told NewBostonPost in an email message, “The ad is sophomoric and cute, and an indictment of the broken political culture in our state.”
Muratore, Cutler, LaNatra, Sweezey, Palmer, and the Massachusetts Democratic Party could not be reached for comment on Monday or Tuesday. The Massachusetts Republican Party declined to comment on the matter.
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