Kirsten Hughes (politician) explained

Kirsten Hughes
Office:Chair of the Massachusetts Republican Party
Term Start:January 10, 2013
Term End:January 17, 2019
Predecessor:Robert Maginn
Successor:Jim Lyons
Office1:Member of the Quincy City Council
from the 5th ward
Term Start1:January 3, 2012
Term End1:January 6, 2020
Predecessor1:Douglas Gutro
Successor1:Charles J. Phelan, Jr.
Birth Place:Quincy, Massachusetts, U.S.
Party:Republican
Education:New York University
New England School of Law

Kirsten L. Hughes[1] is an American political figure, singer, and attorney who is the clerk magistrate of Stoughton District Court. She was the Chair of the Massachusetts Republican Party from 2013 to 2019 and a member of the Quincy, Massachusetts City Council from 2012 to 2020.

Early life

Hughes was born and raised in Quincy.[2] She began her political involvement at the age of twelve as a volunteer for William Weld's gubernatorial campaign.[3] She graduated from Notre Dame Academy in 1995.

Singing

Hughes earned a degree in theater arts from New York University. For over eighteen years, she worked as a singing waitress at West Quincy's Common Market Café. She also sang professionally in New York City, participated in community musicals, performed around Boston with a cover band called Velvet Krush, and played Ariel for a year in the Walt Disney World show Voyage of the Little Mermaid.

Legal career

Hughes earned a J.D. degree from New England School of Law. She was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 2008 and worked for the Suffolk County District Attorney's office.[4]

Politics

Early work

Hughes was a political field director for the Massachusetts Republican Party and ran the party's state convention in 2010.[5] She then served as deputy finance director for Scott Brown's 2012 Senate campaign. In this role she helped Brown raise $42 million.[6]

Quincy City Council

In 2011, Hughes was elected to the Quincy City Council in Ward 5. She defeated Neil McCole by 1,804 votes to 1,288.[7] From 2016 to 2018 she was council president.[8]

Massachusetts Republican Party Chair

On December 6, 2012, Hughes declared her candidacy for Chair of the Massachusetts Republican Party.[9] She faced Richard Green, a state committeeman, businessman, and founder of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance. Hughes was seen as the establishment candidate while Green was seen as anti-establishment.

On January 31, 2013, Hughes was elected chair by a vote of 41 to 39. She was elected on the second ballot, as the result of the first ballot was contested and then set aside.[10] She was unopposed in 2015 and defeated conservative activist Steve Aylward 46 to 30 in 2017.[11] She did not run for reelection in 2019 and was succeeded by James J. Lyons Jr.[12]

Stoughton District Court

After her tenure as chairman ended, Hughes served as general counsel and special sheriff in the office of Norfolk County Sheriff Jerry McDermott. In November 2019 she was appointed clerk magistrate of Stoughton District Court by Governor Charlie Baker.[13]

Personal life

Hughes married Philip Doherty, a software engineer, in 2010. The couple had a son in 2012.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: City Councilor Information. City of Quincy. City of Quincy. February 4, 2013. January 26, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130126011021/http://www.quincyma.gov/Government/CITYCOUNCIL/Councilor.cfm. dead.
  2. News: Quincy attorney Kirsten Hughes to run for Ward 5 city councilor. February 4, 2013. Patriot Ledger. May 11, 2011.
  3. News: Pai. Tanya. Person of Interest: Kirsten Hughes. February 4, 2013. Boston Magazine. September 2011.
  4. News: Ebbert. Stephanie. Hughes takes her presence to Mass. GOP stage. February 4, 2013. The Boston Globe. February 2, 2013.
  5. News: Ebbert. Stephanie. Some in state GOP bristle at Brown's suggestion for leader. February 4, 2013. The Boston Globe. December 8, 2012.
  6. News: Ebbert. Stephanie. Former Brown aide wins top post for Mass. Republicans. February 4, 2013. The Boston Globe. February 1, 2013.
  7. News: Bartlett. Jessica. Incumbents welcome results in Quincy vote. February 4, 2013. The Boston Globe. November 9, 2011.
  8. News: Ramos. Jill Terreri. Brad Croall to lead Quincy City Council. The Boston Globe. January 12, 2018.
  9. News: Johnson . Glen . Scott Brown finance aide declares candidacy . February 4, 2013 . The Boston Globe . December 6, 2012 . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20130129122323/http://www.boston.com/2012/12/06/scott-brown-finance-aide-declares-candidacy-for-chairmanship-mass-gop/cyCVbodc0QkVveSG20zS2K/story.html . January 29, 2013 .
  10. News: Rizzuto. Robert. Kirsten Hughes elected new chair of Massachusetts Republican Party. February 4, 2013. The Republican. January 31, 2013.
  11. News: Cotter. Sean Philip. Quincy city council president holds on to state GOP chair. The Patriot Ledger. January 26, 2017.
  12. News: Cotter. Sean Philip. Conservative ex-state Rep. Jim Lyons wins Mass GOP chair. Boston Herald. January 17, 2019.
  13. News: Murphy . Matt . Quincy city councilor confirmed for Stoughton court post . 24 September 2021 . The Patriot Ledger . November 27, 2019.