SURVEY: Mass. Republicans Say Ryan Will Energize Romney Campaign

An overwhelming majority of influential Republicans from Massachusetts say Mitt Romney's choice of running mate, Paul Ryan, will galvanize the state GOP. That’s the finding of a Red Commonwealth Snap Poll survey of influential conservatives sent out after Saturday morning's announcement.

When Patch asked Massachusetts Republicans if Paul Ryan as vice president would help undecided Massachusetts voters, the answers were split down the middle with half saying they strongly agree and the other half saying they strongly disagree.

"He is incredibly smart and can convey concepts in easy-to-understand language," one respondent said was an advantage to having Ryan on the Romney ticket.

Others noted Ryan's youth, ability to articulate himself and perception of being a family man as reasons Ryan is a good choice.

"He's an articulate yet forceful proponent of the necessity to dramatically change America's cultural/economic/political paradigm in order to avoid the malaise produced by said paradigm that is slowly destroying Europe," one person answered.

Massachusetts political influencers surveyed said they disagree that Democrats will be able to win against Romney and Ryan by running against Ryan's budget plans and proposal for Medicare.

Those surveyed did agree that the choice would also galvanize Democrats in the state and nation-wide.

Those surveyed also noted Ryan will be able to inject new energy into the campaign.

"Paul Ryan will appeal to many more voters in MA than people think. He's smart, relatable and isn't afraid to call out the current administration," one respondent said.

Another person answered: "Ryan's appointment signals that Romney intends to make the 2012 election a referendum on the direction of the country. Either voters choose another four years of European-styled socialism by voting for Obama or they choose to reverse course and double down on American exceptionalism by voting for Romney. Ryan will force the public itself to debate on which way America will go."

Red Commonwealth Survey

Patch surveys are not a scientific, random sample of any larger population but rather an effort to listen to a group of influential local Republican activists, party leaders, candidates and elected officials in Massachusetts. All of these individuals have agreed to participate in Massachusetts Patch surveys, although not all responded to this story’s questions.

Patch will be conducting Red Commonwealth and Blue Commonwealth surveys throughout the 2012 election season in hopes of determining the true sentiment of conservatives and progressives on the ground in Massachusetts. If you are an activist, party leader or elected official and would like to take part in periodic surveys that last just a few minutes, please contact Associate Regional Editor Katie Curley-Katzman at katherine@patch.com.

Red Commonwealth Survey Roster

Massachusetts survey participants include:

Name  Town/Position Name   Town/Position Paul Adams
Andover, candidate for state representative Elaine Appel
Hamilton, Republican Committee Andrew Applegate Suffolk University Steve Aylward MA, Republican State Committee Chris Barrett

Lynnfield, former
Romney staffer

Dan Bennett
Danvers, selectman
James Bonazoli
Reading, selectman Vonnie Boyle MA, Republican State Committee Jack Buba Marblehead, Republican Town Committee Dean Carvaretta Acton, candidate for State Senate Amy Carnevale Marblehead, Republican
Town Committee chair
David Carnevale Medford, former State Senate candidate Ted Cinella
Melrose, Republican City Committee Wayne Comeau
Danvers, Republican Town Committee
Mary Connaughton
Framingham, Republican Angel Connell Westford, Republican Mark Crowley
Medford, Republican Committee Harriet Davis
Wenham, former selectman
Gerry Dembrowski
Woburn, candidate for State Representative John DiMascio Watertown, Republican Lindsay DiNatale Charlestown, Republican Bill Doherty Cape Cod, County Commissioner John Dorr Medford, Republican
Scott Frasca Peabody, Republican Kent George Wayland, Republican George Gerogountzos Stoneham, candidate for state representative Dick Gilmore Danvers, Republican John Golnik Carlisle, candidate for U.S. Congress Bernie Green Medford, Republican Committee Jim Hatherley
Westborough, Republican Town Committee
Dylan Hayre
Westford, Republican James Healy
Needham, Republican Town Committee
McKenzie Hebert Shrewsbury, Republican Chad Heipler MA, Republican Frank Herschede Danvers, Republican Eleanor Hersey Framingham, Republican Brad Hill Hamilton, State Representative Jarrod Hochman Peabody, Republican Chuck Holden Peabody, Republican Randy Hunt Sandwich, State Representative Steven Jeffries Beacon Hill, Republican Evan Kenney Wakefield, Republican Caucus alternate Tracy Lawrence
Salem, Republican Janet Leombruno
Framingham, Republican
Krista Lynch North Andover, Republican James Lyons Andover, State Representative Brian Major
Andover, Republican Mario Marchese
Wilmington, Republican Town Committee Brad Marston Beacon Hill, Republican Bob Mauceri North Reading, selectman John McCarthy Peabody, Republican Brian McCarty
Somerville, Republican City Committee
Ed McGrath MA, Republican State Committee Laurie McManus Watertown, Republican Town Committee Monica Medeiros Melrose, Republican City Committee Louise Miller
Needham, Republican Town Committee
Philip Mitza Somerville, Republican Michael Morales Medford, Republican City Committee Jim Morse Medford, Republican Lisa J. Murray Hamilton, Republican
Peter Nicolas Marblehead, Republican Town Committee Ed Niell Westwood, Republican Town Committee Doug Obey Westwood, Republican Town Committee Sean O'Brien Salem, Republican Committee Joseph O'Keefe Salem, city councilor Don Ordway Tewksbury, Republican Town Committee Ted Owens Needham, Republican Town Commitee chairman Teresa Perrier MA, Republican Sue Pope Wayland, Republican Jim Powell Martha's Vineyard, Republican Michael Prisco
North Reading, selectman Nancy Quimby
Westborough, Republican Town Committee Patrick Rahilly North Andover, attorney Sharon Randall Marblehead Republican Town Committee Katelyn Regan
West Roxbury, Republican Tim Regan
Charlestown, Republican Alan Reiss Wayland, Republican Evan Rice MA, Republican Committee member James Ridge
Watertown, Republican Lena Robinson
Marblehead, party consultant
Meg Rowan
MA, Republican Marty Scafidi
Peabody, Republican
Doug Sears
Tewksbury, Republican Jesse Segovia
Lexington, Republican Town Committee chairman Joe Selvaggi
Beacon Hill, Republican Todd Siegel Salem, city councilor Rosemary Smedile North Andover, Republican Francis Stanton
Waltham, candidate for state representative
Jeff Stinson
Hamilton, selectman and political director for Richard Tisei Ben Tafoya
North Reading, selectman
Tom Terranova Lynnfield, Republican John Toto
Wayland, Republican
Thomas Vasconcelos
Somerville, candidate for state representative Alex Vispoli Andover, selectman Tom Weaver Westford, candidate for U.S. Congress Ken Weisman Hopkinton, Republican Brad Williams
West Roxbury, Republican Committee chairman Richard Wise
Salem, Republican Committee
Val Wormell Westford, selectman Joseph Zarrella Braintree, State House intern Allan Zenowitz MA, Republican State Committee