Elephant walk

by Seth Gitell

Paul Cellucci turned to the last loyal, highly competent adult on his team when he tapped Secretary of Administration and Finance Andrew Natsios, who is a veteran of state Republican politics, to replace James Kerasiotes as head of the Central Artery/Tunnel Project. Natsios's connections to Cellucci go back at least as far as 1980, when the men worked together -- along with Andrew Card and Ron Kaufman -- to help two Republican presidential hopefuls: first George Bush and then Ronald Reagan, after Reagan won the GOP nomination. During the 1980s, Natsios played a role in the Republican resurgence in Massachusetts, serving as the chairman of the state party. A former state representative, Natsios also worked in the Bush administration at the US Agency for International Development. During his time as chairman, Natsios focused on getting Republicans into state legislative offices, forming a farm team to build the party. The new role will require a sacrifice from Natsios, who now has a home in Maryland outside Washington, DC. Getting the Big Dig finances in order means more time in Boston.