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)