Swiston part of 'Reform Team' kickoff

Wednesday, June 2, 2004

State Representative Candidate Greer Tan Swiston joined Gov. Mitt Romney, Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey, Massachsetts GOP Chairman Darrell Crate and over 100 other legislative "Reform Team" candidates to officially kick off the 2004 campaign season at a press conference in downtown Boston last Tuesday, May 25. Swiston filed paperwork to run as a candidate for the 11th Representative District of Middlesex which is wholly contained in the City of Newton.

Swiston is challenging five-term incumbent Rep. Kay Khan, a Democrat from Newton Lower Falls, for the seat.

"I am honored to be a part of this historic campaign to reform Beacon Hill," said Swiston. "Governor Romney was elected to end Beacon Hill politics-as-usual. He is encouraging and supporting private citizens like myself, to come out and represent the people. The voters want reform and as a State Representative, I will make sure we put the public's interests ahead of the special interests."

Swiston was featured as an example of the diversity represented in the candidate pool. A daughter of Chinese immigrants, a graduate of MIT, Swiston worked at NASA's Jet Propulsion Labs as a software engineer. A mother of two young children, Parker and Kayla, Swiston is committed to the community. "As an American, I have always believed in the importance of contributing to the community. That is why I would like to be the next State Representative from Newton."

The Massachusetts Republican Party announced that 131 candidates have met the ballot requirements to seek legislative office this year, a nearly 70 percent increase over the previous election cycle and the most legislative candidates for the GOP since 1990. Party Chairman Darrell Crate credited Governor Romney and Lt. Governor Healey for their strong leadership and push to enact reform as the main reasons for the surge in candidates.

For more information on Greer Tan Swiston and her campaign for State Representative in 2004, please see her website at www.vote4greer.org.