Throughout his campaign, one success was clear: Charlie Baker had reflected and dissected the key takeaways from his 2010 gubernatorial campaign, as evidenced by his renewed emphasis on a disciplined strategy and concise, clear messaging. The governor-elect made a concerted effort to turn around his image for his 2014 campaign, convincing voters of his authenticity and bipartisan approach.

In a state as blue as Massachusetts, Republican candidates often overlook or forgo campaigning in historically democratic - and mostly urban - strongholds to cultivate support in more favorable, suburban areas. Charlie Baker, however, chose a different path. From Springfield to Roxbury, Lowell to Brockton, the Governor-elect made frequent campaign stops in Democrat-dominated territories in hopes of attracting at least a few votes in his favor. More importantly, however, Charlie Baker's grassroots outreach in these areas demonstrated that he is a moderate politician; one that is willing to compromise and that sincerely cares about creating opportunity for each and every resident of Massachusetts, no matter where they might fall on the political spectrum.

Equally as important, the women's vote played a crucial role in Charlie Baker's 2014 gubernatorial campaign. Rather than singularly touting his support for "women's issues," the governor-elect's position on social issues coupled with his extensive private sector and business experience appealed to women of all political backgrounds, especially those concerned about the economy, jobs, and healthcare. The "Women for Baker" initiative constituted a crucial and effective part of Charlie Baker's campaign, especially for his GOTV effort. His wife, Lauren, spearheaded and cultivated the "Women for Baker" notion, putting into practice her years as a successful advertising professional. Not only that, Lauren demonstrated from the beginning that she is a true partner to her husband, advising on his campaign efforts and often joining him on the trail.

After working with Charlie in Governor Weld's administration, I have witnessed firsthand his strong grasp and understanding of the ins and outs of state government. Simply put, Charlie Baker has the experience and the know-how to get things done on Beacon Hill. After years of inefficient governing on the local, state and national level, the governor-elect will draw upon his senior roles in Administration and Finance, Health and Human Services, and at Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare to ensure that Massachusetts can continue to grow and lead the country in areas such as economic development and healthcare. As the ranking GOP member in Massachusetts, Charlie Baker will also emerge as the representative voice for the Commonwealth and the Republican Party. With an entirely Democrat congressional delegation, the governor-elect will serve as a crucial and necessary advocate to communicate the state's policy priorities to the Republican Party on the federal level.

In the coming days and weeks, we will also have a clearer vision of how Charlie Baker's policy agenda will take shape as he begins to appoint members of his Cabinet, specifically the Secretaries of Administration and Finance and Health and Human Services. The governor-elect has already reached across party lines to make his first appointment, emphasizing his bipartisan approach to the Corner Office by naming Chelsea city manager Jay Ash to lead the state's housing and economic development agency.

And although the lieutenant governor's influence is often overlooked, Karyn Polito brings valuable experience to her new position, which effectively complements Charlie Baker's credentials. As a former state representative from central Massachusetts, Polito's background mirrors what Paul Cellucci brought to the table as the lieutenant governor for then-Governor William Weld. With an experienced, former state legislator such as Polito, you can anticipate that the previously unoccupied office of the lieutenant governor will take on new meaning with her at the helm.

Historically, Massachusetts has preferred a balance of political power between the executive and legislative branches, having elected a number of Republican governors in recent decades. Although both chambers of the Massachusetts legislature is still controlled by Democrats, Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo and incoming Senate President Stan Rosenberg already have prior experience working with Charlie Baker when he served in the Weld administration. Despite divergent views on certain issues, this balance of power will encourage bipartisan compromise to the benefit of all Massachusetts residents. I look forward to this new era for Massachusetts and am excited to be a part of it.

In what was projected to be one of the closet Governors' races in the country, Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy won a hard-fought re-election victory over his Republican opponent Tom Foley and began looking ahead to his second term in office. Despite the narrow margin of victory, his successful reelection campaign held increased national significance after a challenging political climate mired Democrats' efforts - for both incumbents and first time candidates - to win elected office, even in traditionally blue states.

Across the nation, many incumbents of both parties faced a difficult road to reelection as voters sought to communicate their unhappiness with the current government and their desire for change at the ballot box last Tuesday. O'Neill and Associates is proud to have worked together with and provide strategic fundraising advice to Governor Dan Malloy and the Connecticut Democratic Party. Working with Governor Malloy and the Connecticut Democratic Party, O'Neill and Associates was part of a fundraising team that raised over $7 million this election cycle.

Looking ahead, Governor Malloy will continue to be an important national voice for gun safety, an increased minimum wage, paid sick leave, strong economic development policy and increased funding for education. O'Neill and Associates congratulates the Connecticut Democratic Party and Governor Malloy on a successful 2014 campaign. 

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Republicans also expanded their presence in the Massachusetts State Legislature, securing two additional seats in the Senate and at least five additional seats in the House of Representatives. The GOP had hoped to make more of an impact in the State Legislature; however, Democrats were able to hold on to more seats than some had originally predicted.

Despite these gains, Democrats still control both chambers of the Legislature by large super-majorities and Republicans will not be able to provide enough votes to uphold vetoes by the Governor-Elect, Republican Charlie Baker. Speaker Robert DeLeo is expected to retain his leadership of the House of Representatives, while Senator Stan Rosenberg is expected to ascend to the role of Senate President, replacing Senator Therese Murray who chose not seek reelection this year. Senator Stan Rosenberg will also become the first openly gay Massachusetts Senate President, signifying yet another stride towards true equality for the Commonwealth. 

On Question 1, constituents overturned a provision tying the state gas tax to the rate of inflation, voting "yes" 53 percent to 47 percent, the closest outcome of any question. Nearly three-quarters of voters came out strongly in opposition to Question 2, rejecting a proposed expansion of the state beverage container deposit law which sought to include bottled water, sports drinks, and other non-carbonated beverages as requiring a nickel deposit upon purchase. Question 3, which sought to repeal the Expanded Gaming Act and effectively ban all casinos from opening in the state, was a closely watched contest with large implications for Massachusetts as a whole. Voters soundly rejected this measure with 60.1 percent of the vote and paving the way for MGM and Wynn to start work on their highly anticipated resort casinos. Finally, voters decisively approved Question 4, a measure requiring employers to provide their employees with one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours that they work. The accumulation of said hours will be capped at 40 hours for the year, starting on July 15, 2015.  

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The 6^th district proved to be a more challenging contest and arguably the most closely-watched congressional race in Massachusetts. Republicans viewed this race as their best chance to break the all Democrat delegation, but were ultimately disappointed. Democrat Seth Moulton, a 36-year-old Marine veteran of the Iraq war and first-time candidate, was able to comfortably defeat Republican opponent Richard Tisei, an openly gay former Beacon Hill legislator, by a margin of 14 percent. As a Harvard graduate with four tours of duty under his belt, Moulton was able to appeal to voters with his strong resume, untarnished reputation, and an outsider's approach to politics. Moulton had spent a significant portion of his $3.2 million in campaign funds to defeat incumbent John F. Tierney for the Democratic Party nomination, a fact which raised concerns of whether or not he would be able to maintain the momentum needed to clinch a victory over Tisei. In the end, Moulton accepted his victory with grace saying: "It feels great but it's also humbling... And I realize this is not about me. This is about an incredible team who came together who believed in making a difference in Washington and all the voters in the district who voted for that change."

Lastly, in the 9^th district William Keating, a two-term incumbent Democrat, was able to defeat first-time Republican candidate John Chapman with 55 percent of the vote to Chapman's 45 percent. Congressman Keating was able to out-raise his opponent, who had launched a tough campaign which criticized the incumbent's defense of the Affordable Care Act and attempted to portray Keating as out of touch with his constituents. The attacks were unsuccessful as Congressman Keating ended Election Day victorious.

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Arguably one of the most contested Senatorial races in New England took place in New Hampshire where former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown sought to unseat Democratic incumbent Jeanne Shaheen. Independent expenditure groups and Super PACs flooded the New Hampshire Senate race with millions of dollars in media buys, in an attempt to sway voters in this cutthroat election. Despite his efforts to nationalize the Granite State race and blame Senator Shaheen for the dissatisfaction voters had with Washington, Brown was not able to convince enough voters to win a majority. Senator Shaheen garnered 52 percent of the vote, beating Brown by a margin of four, and securing one of the few Democrat victories in the midterm Senate elections.

For more information about O'Neill and Associates' federal relations practice, click here.