Anne Brensley, a selectwoman in Wayland and enterprise govt, launched a Republican marketing campaign for lieutenant governor Monday by knocking each political events for overlooking native points in cities and cities all through Massachusetts.
Brensley, a 44-year-old with a background in actual property, mentioned communities are combating overrides, endlessly chemical substances in consuming water, provide shortages for public questions of safety, and the results of a controversial transit-oriented zoning legislation that has prompted a number of courtroom fights.
“For too long, both parties have ignored the unique challenges facing our towns and cities. I’m running to bring focus back to our communities, from affordability to better schools, cleaner water, and safer streets, by visiting the majority of towns throughout Massachusetts and talking directly to voters,” Brensley mentioned in a press release.
Brensley mentioned she is working impartial of the 2 Republicans who’re competing for the Republican gubernatorial nomination — enterprise capitalist Brian Shortsleeve and state housing and financial growth secretary Mike Kennealy.
In an interview with the Herald, she mentioned she determined to strike out with no gubernatorial candidate as a result of “of what I saw needed to be done in the state, more so than some political drive.”
“I want to do this position. I think I’m qualified for this position,” she mentioned. “I wasn’t going to wait for somebody to ask me to enter into this position when I felt like I had such a strong vision for it.”
Spokespeople for Kennealy and Shortsleeve didn’t instantly present reactions to Brensley’s marketing campaign.
Brensley mentioned she is “very excited” about Kennealy and Shortsleeve, and even Michael Minogue, a serious Republican donor who’s contemplating working for governor of Massachusetts.
“They’re incredibly successful, well-polished, intelligent candidates,” Brensley mentioned. “I plan to build my campaign and support all three in their pursuits.”
Gov. Maura Healey mentioned she is working for reelection subsequent 12 months, and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, a Democrat who beforehand served as mayor of Salem, additionally plans to hunt a second time period in workplace.
A marketing campaign spokesperson for Driscoll didn’t instantly present a response to a Herald inquiry.
Candidates for lieutenant governor in Massachusetts run independently of gubernatorial candidates throughout the main election, however the winners of the first seem as a ticket throughout the basic election.
Brensley, CEO of the actual property growth agency DevCo North America, described herself as socially liberal and fiscally conservative.
“For example, I would want to use funds for the opiate crisis with the intent of actually reducing the use of opiates and the ability for people to come into this state (to) sell different drugs versus the approach that I’m seeing, which is giving some of these individuals ways to survive overdoses,” she mentioned. “That, to me, is counterproductive to actually solving the problem.”
Brensley didn’t say whether or not she voted for President Donald Trump — “that is a very loaded question” — and as a substitute mentioned she is a “very strong Nikki Haley supporter.”
“She was an inspiration to me in just looking at the Republican Party as a place where I could fit in,” Brensley mentioned.
Brensley has donated small quantities of cash to the Lincoln Mission, a political group based by Republicans who oppose Trump, together with at the least $200 in 2020, based on federal marketing campaign information matched to Brensley by means of her identify, Wayland zip code, and employment historical past.
She additionally donated at the least $160 to former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016 when Clinton unsuccessfully ran for president in opposition to Trump, federal information present.
Brensley mentioned the donations have been made across the time “when I was thinking about getting into politics.”
“I don’t remember the context behind those. I have supported Republican candidates. I just don’t know. It was just a small amount of money, I don’t really remember the context behind it,” Brensley mentioned. “I know I have donated to Democratic and Republican candidates more as a business owner, making sure that I was always balanced. I don’t know if that was part of it and only a portion was shown.”
Brensley mentioned she was additionally motivated to run for lieutenant governor due to the MBTA Communities Act, a state legislation that requires sure municipalities to zone at the least one district close to a transit hub for multi-family housing.
“I think the intention of wanting housing near transportation and trying to allow for more ability to do that quickly makes sense. I think how they did it, the concept of forcing communities to meet specific criteria, that doesn’t make any sense at all,” she mentioned. “I would repeal it.”
