Massachusetts Republican Party looks to black, Haitian voters broaden its base

Something remarkable was happening as dozens of political activists crammed into an unremarkable storefront in Hyde Park to fire each other up. The energetic crowd was diverse, a mix of men and women from a variety of racial, ethnic, and geographic locations.

And they were Republicans.

“See. See. See,” said Rachel Kemp, the only black woman elected to the Massachusetts GOP State Committee, pointing in jest to the African-American, Cuban-American, and Haitian-American activists in the room.

It was the last of five rallies meant to energize the base for the upcoming election and for Saturday’s party convention at Boston University, where Republicans will gather to nominate candidates for statewide office.