Taunton mayor Shaunna O’Connell has interest in running for governor of Massachusetts and is building up her bank account in the meantime.
The Republican and former state representative is holding a fund raiser at 6 p.m. Thursday, December 16 at Segregansett Country Club, according to an email message obtained by NewBostonPost.
The email message tells her supporters: “You are cordially invited to: Celebrate the Holiday Season with Mayor Shaunna O’Connell.”
It offers a list of “suggested donations & holiday wishes.” The suggested donations range from $50 to $1,000.
As NewBostonPost reported at the end of last week, O’Connell has been making a lot of telephone calls lately to people in Republican circles as she weighs a run.
O’Connell’s potential run for governor comes in the wake of news that incumbent Republican governor Charlie Baker won’t run for a third term and that lieutenant governor Karyn Polito won’t seek elected office next year, either.
As a result, former state representative Geoff Diehl (R-Whitman) is widely viewed as the de facto Republican front-runner in the gubernatorial race; he has former President Donald Trump’s endorsement. Former Lowell city council candidate Darius Mitchell and Quincy resident Kim Duffy are also seeking the nomination.
O’Connell and Diehl were seen as allies when they served together in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, but they have political differences. Unlike Diehl, O’Connell is not a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump; she also supports legal abortion. Diehl openly supports Trump and is pro-life.
One life issue they agree on, however, is their opposition to physician-assisted suicide.
O’Connell was first elected as mayor of Taunton in 2019; she ran for re-election unopposed in November 2021 and won. Although she is thinking about running for a new post, her second term hasn’t officially started yet.
O’Connell could not be reached for comment over the weekend or on Monday this week.
Here is a screenshot of the email message that went out to her supporters:
New to NewBostonPost? Conservative media is hard to find in Massachusetts. But you’ve found it. Now dip your toe in the water for two bucks — $2 for two months. And join the real revolution.
