After leading the Massachusetts Republican Party for six years, Kirsten Hughes is stepping away as chairwoman and party insiders are looking at least at a trio of possible contenders for the post.
Hughes, a Quincy city councilor who took over as party chairwoman in 2013, emailed members of the Republican State Committee in recent weeks to let them know that she would not be seeking a fourth term in January.
After getting wiped out in every statewide race except governor this cycle and losing three seats in the Legislature, the party, with Gov. Charlie Baker at its head, will be looking for someone new to take the reins of its fundraising and candidate recruitment efforts.
Rep. Geoff Diehl, who will be leaving the Legislature in January after losing his long-shot bid to topple U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren in November, has already expressed his potential interest in the position should Hughes step down.
"I am reviewing all my options," Diehl told the News Service in an email on Wednesday. "I'm pleased to see that so many people are willing to support me."
Diehl, however, could be joined by his fellow lawmaker Rep. Peter Durant of Spencer, who one party insider said is running.
MassGOP Treasurer Brent Andersen is also looking to move up the party ranks, and will seek the chairmanship, he confirmed.
"Yes, I'm running," Andersen told the News Service on Wednesday.
Durant could be reached for comment, and the party did not return calls seeking comment from Hughes.
Hughes took over as party chairwoman in January 2013 with the support of Scott Brown, who had just lost his re-election bid to Warren.
She had been senator's deputy finance director, and eked out a win over Pepperell Republican Rick Green, the founder of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance who ran unsuccessfully this cycle for Congress in the Third District against Congresswoman-elect Lori Trahan.
In the ensuing years, Hughes was in the chair for two gubernatorial victories by Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and as the party fought to maintain its gains in the Legislature from 2010 and get footholds in races for other constitutional offices.
"During the next two years, we will build on our recent successes: growing the grassroots, investing in our data-driven field operation, and electing Republicans up and down the ticket. As we enter a new era of unified GOP leadership, I'm excited about the MassGOP's ability to advance our shared priorities," Hughes said following her re-election in 2017.
Baker, during his four years in office, has resisted fully immersing himself in party politics after stacking the 80-member state committee with loyalists in early 2016. While he has campaigned and helped raise money for some GOP legislators and candidates seeking open House and Senate seats, he has been less involved in trying to knock off incumbent Democrats.
One person close to Baker said the governor does not yet have a preferred candidate in the race to succeed Hughes.
"We'll wait and see," the advisor said.
