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STRATEGIC MOVE
State GOP director departs
BY ADAM REILLY
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The timing of Dominick Ianno’s exit as executive director of the state Republican Party is sure to raise some eyebrows. Come July, Ianno — who got his start in Massachusetts politics as the deputy research director for Bill Weld’s 1996 Senate campaign — becomes vice-president of Gray Media, the high-powered Republican PR firm headed by Mitt Romney media strategist Rob Gray. In terms of prestige, Ianno’s move makes sense: Gray Media’s clients include pharmaceutical heavyweight Pfizer, Boston University, and the Republican National Committee. Then again, this is also the year the Mass GOP’s 131-person slate of state legislative candidates is supposed to roll back Democratic dominance on Beacon Hill — and Ianno is jumping ship just four months before Election Day. "It seems kind of weird to me that he’s leaving in the middle of an important cycle," says one Democratic consultant. "He’s done a good job recruiting candidates and getting attention for them, so to leave before the job is done seems a little strange." So why leave now? "It was just an opportunity that came up that I just couldn’t say no to," Ianno said Tuesday. "I feel confident the party is in good hands under Darrell Crate and Tim O’Brien" — the Mass GOP’s chair and acting executive director, respectively. "This phase of the campaign is now in the grassroots. We’ve recruited the candidates, and it’s really up to them, with some guidance, to execute a winning campaign." Ianno also notes he’ll be consulting for the Mass GOP through November, and lending his services to state Senate challenger Gail Lese, who’s taking on incumbent Robert O’Leary in the Cape and Islands district. As for money, Ianno — who pulled in $85,000 in his old post — wouldn’t disclose his new salary. He did, however, chuckle and say: "Like I said, it was a pretty good opportunity." O’Brien, Ianno’s successor, is a former assistant chief of staff for Governors Paul Cellucci and Jane Swift. He was the state GOP’s deputy executive director prior to Ianno’s exit, and has also logged time at the Virginia-based Republican polling firm Public Opinion Strategies. While Ianno was known as a smooth media hand with a knack for opposition research, O’Brien reportedly excels at managing direct-mail and get-out-the-vote operations. Charlie Manning, a veteran Republican consultant and Romney adviser, describes O’Brien as a talented young operative. But he also says Ianno’s shoes will be difficult to fill. "I’ve been in this business now for more than 20 years, and Dominick is one of the most skilled political strategists I’ve come across during that time," Manning says. "We were really fortunate to have him."
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