Change is on the way for Massachusetts legislative leadership
From Ballotpedia
November 30, 2010
BOSTON, Massachusetts: Following another routine election where Democrats held onto massive majorities in the Senate and House, the Republican and Democratic parties are poised to elect different legislators to leadership positions than from the last session.
Senate
- The Republicans elected a new Minority leader -- Bruce Tarr, who has served for 20 years in the legislature.[1] Former minority leader Richard Tisei ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor.
- Former Senate Ways and Means Committee chairman Steven Panagiotakos (D) retired and will need to be replaced by Senate President Therese Murray.[2]
House
- House Speaker Robert DeLeo removed Thomas Petrolati from the State House Speaker Pro Tempore position. The removal is in part due to Petrolati's refusal to cooperate with an investigation into allegedly corrupt hiring and promotion practices within the Probation Department.[3]
- State House Majority Leader James Vallee also might lose his position. Vallee has openly commented on one day succeeding DeLeo, and called himself a reformer.[2]
- Republicans increased their representation in the House from 15 to 32. According to Daniel Winslow, a newly elected Republican, the minority will be "harder to ignore" in the coming session.[2]
- However, DeLeo himself will be remaining as speaker, despite his godson receiving a promotion within the probation agency. Deleo defends his position, stating, "Upon his getting the probation job...I had nothing to do with his elevation from there."[4]
The new partisan breakdowns of the Senate and House are as follows:
| Massachusetts State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 1, 2010 | After the 2010 Election | |
| Democratic Party | 35 | 36 | |
| Republican Party | 5 | 4 | |
| Total | 40 | 40 | |
| Massachusetts House of Representatives | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 1, 2010 | After the 2010 Election | |
| Democratic Party | 142 | 128 | |
| Republican Party | 15 | 32 | |
| Vacancy | 3 | - | |
| Total | 160 | 160 | |
See also
|
- State legislative elections, 2010
- Massachusetts State Senate elections, 2010
- Massachusetts House of Representatives elections, 2010
Footnotes
- ↑ Boston Globe, "Tarr named next Senate minority leader" November 28, 2010
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Boston Globe, "Beacon Hill's supportin cast poised for upheavel" November 25, 2010
- ↑ WWLP 22 News, "Re. Petrolati removed from House post" November 23, 2010
- ↑ Mass Live.com, "Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo defends his decision to recommend godson for probation job" November 29, 2010
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