Candidate Recommendation Committee
The MTA has a formal process for interviewing and evaluating candidates through its Candidate Recommendation Committee. The CRC consists of two MTA members elected from each of the state's 10 Congressional districts, as well as MTA's president, vice president and executive director.
In a race for an open seat, candidates from all parties are invited to participate in the MTA's interview process. All candidates receive the association's questionnaire and are invited to be interviewed by a team of MTA members who represent the locals in the affected legislative districts. The candidate evaluation teams then make recommendations to the CRC for final approval.
When incumbent legislators are involved, the CRC reviews voting records to determine whether candidates have earned the MTA's recommendation.
Kerry Costello, Chair, CD 9, kcostello@aps1.net
Bob Brousseau, Vice Chair, CD 4, rlb702@gmail.com
James Smethurst, CD 1, jsmethur@afroam.umass.edu
Ken Haar, CD 1, kennyhaar@comcast.net
Sue Fielding, CD 2, fielding123@verizon.net
Maureen Carlos, CD 3, mlcarlos@aol.com
Joe Rebello, CD 4, no email
Marilyn Bemis, CD 5, m_bemis@msn.com
Therese O’Donnell, CD 6, therese_o@verizon.net
Don Williams, CD 6, dwilli99@aol.com
Carol Donovan, CD 7, cadonovan@comcast.net
Ann O’Halloran, CD 7 ohalloran.ann@verizon.net
Phil Chassler, CD 8, philip.chassler@umb.edu
Jim Kaplan, CD 8, kaplanj@massed.net
Sheila Hanley, CD 9, hanley_sheila@hotmail.com
Duncan Ross, CD 10, duncan_ross@msn.com
Anne Wass, CD 10, awass8@aol.com
Staff Consultants: Jo Blum (jblum@massteacher.org) & Cathy Fichtner (cfichtner@massteacher.org)
Staff Assistant: Melissa Abber (mabber@massteacher.org)