In this photo taken on March 22, Mark Fisher, the tea party hopeful in the Republican gubernatorial nomination process, addresses attendees at the Massachusetts Republican state convention in Boston. Fisher is suing the State GOP contesting the decision not to include him on the party’s primary ballot. Party officials said Fisher received 14.765 percent of the delegate vote, just shy of the 15 percent required. The party counted blank votes toward the total. Had those not been included, Fisher would have qualified. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)
STEVE LeBLANC, Associated Press
BOSTON (AP) — Westfield native and tea party-affiliated Mark Fisher is rejecting an offer by the Massachusetts Republican Party to certify him as a candidate for governor.
The party said Fisher didn’t win the needed 15 percent of delegates at the party’s state convention to get on the ballot, something Fisher has contested in court.
The GOP said yesterday that while it’s not conceding any wrongdoing, it would no longer contest Fisher’s certification for the good of the public and the party.
Fisher says he wants the court to force the party to release tally sheets which he says will show an effort to deny him the needed signatures.
Fisher also said he’s collected more than the 10,000 voter signatures needed to secure a spot on the ballot.
Charlie Baker won the party’s endorsement.
Fisher is planning a campaign press conference today.
