FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE
May 25, 2004

Contact: Doug Bush 617-308-7906

SWISTON JOINS GOVERNOR ROMNEY, OTHER LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATES AT OFFICIAL "REFORM TEAM" KICKOFF

State Representative Candidate Greer Tan Swiston joined Governor Mitt Romney, Lt. Governor Kerry Healey, Mass 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. Swiston filed paper work to run as a candidate for the Eleventh Representative District of Middlesex which is wholly contained in the City of Newton.

"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."

"This is the year to finally bring change to Beacon Hill," said Governor Romney. "It is heartening to see so many distinguished citizens step up and run for public office. These candidates are our neighbors and our friends who want nothing more than to bring reform to state government. We owe them our support and good wishes."

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."

"What impresses me most is the quality of this group of candidates," said Lt. Governor Healey. "We have individuals from all walks of life, doctors, lawyers, teachers, health care professionals, recent college graduates, retirees and stay-at-home parents who have decided to put aside their personal lives and make a commitment to public service."

The Massachusetts Republican Party announced that 131 candidates have met the ballot requirements to seek legislative office this year, a nearly 70% 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.

"This administration has offered so many reasonable reform ideas, including the Mass Turnpike - Highway Department merger, court consolidation, school building assistance reform, pension reform and construction reform," said Crate. "We should be able to save hundreds of millions of dollars in wasteful spending if we just had more Representatives like Greer Swiston in office to support these proposals."

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