October 1, 2015/Press Releases

#PromisesWatch: Governor Baker’s Republican Party Welcomes Ted Cruz to Massachusetts

BOSTON—Anti-immigrant, anti-choice, anti-government Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz is swinging through the Bay State tomorrow and while he’ll be helping raise money for the Marlborough Republican City Committee – a local affiliate of Republican Gov. Baker's MassGOP – some people are wondering if we will hear a word of criticism for Cruz’s out-of-touch stances from the leader of the Massachusetts Republican Party, Charlie Baker.
 
As Ted Cruz threatens to shut down our government, voters will recall he led the 17-day government shutdown in 2013 that resulted in a $24 billion loss to the national economy.
 
Immediately after his election Baker said he would steer clear of national Republican politics as governor, yet his trips to Florida, Colorado and Pennsylvania to participate in Republican Governor Association or national GOP activities already in his short time in office surely tells a different tale.
 
“While Democrats stand at the ready to work with Gov. Baker to address our Commonwealth’s most pressing issues, we also expect him to be a Governor who reflects the views of his constituents that would clearly include rejecting GOP candidate Ted Cruz’s stances on immigration, a woman’s right to choose and government shutdowns to name a few. Instead, Mr. Cruz is helping raise money for the Republican Party here in Massachusetts,” said MassDems Chairman Tom McGee.
 
Cruz is here fundraising for the Marlborough Republican City Committee who spent over $140,000 in 2014 on paid canvassers benefitting Republican candidates across the Commonwealth including then-candidate Charlie Baker.
 
Baker has been less than forthcoming and transparent about his substantial involvement in national Republican politics over the course of his short time in office, but voters will surely recall his:
 
  • Out-of-State trip to Florida in November to thank the Republican Governors Association for pumping over $10 million dollars into Massachusetts during last year’s campaign.
  • Out-of-State trip to Colorado in July to be elected as one of three Republican Governors to replace Governors Chris Christie of New Jersey, Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Scott Walker of Wisconsin in a senior Republican Governors Association position.
  • Out-of-State trip to Pennsylvania in September where he claimed to be thanking the state for providing additional snow removal equipment to Massachusetts during last year’s snow storms, despite the fact that on this trip he headlined a fundraiser for the Republican challenger to the incumbent Democrat who provided those resources to the Commonwealth.
  • This is the latest installment in the Massachusetts Democratic Party’s Promises Watch campaign to hold Republican Gov. Baker accountable for the many promises he made during last year’s election.
 
###