SAUGUS — State Rep. Donald Wong can now add state committeeman to his resume, after being the unanimous choice of the Republican town and city committees from Lynn, Lynnfield, Marblehead, Nahant, Saugus, and Swampscott to join the party leadership at the state level.
Wong was elected to fill the vacancy created by the death of Committeeman Steve Zykofsky, of Lynn. At the caucus where Wong was elected, a moment of silence was held to honor Zykofsky.
Saugus Republican Committee Chair Jim Harrington remembered Zykofsky as “a dedicated and distinguished member who devoted tremendous energy, passion, and knowledge to the Republican Party.”
In electing Wong, who represents parts of Saugus, Wakefield, and Lynn, the committees turned to one of the only elected Republicans in the area — with Democrats occupying the state Senate seats in the 2nd and 3rd Essex districts, as well as most state representative seats in the communities Wong now represents.
Wong, in a letter sent to members of the committee, said he has been able to win elections in an overwhelmingly Democratic region of the state because of his focus on working families. Part of Wong’s electoral success can also be attributed to the fact that Saugus tends to vote for Republicans — a majority of the town’s residents supported Geoff Diehl and Leah Allen, the Republican ticket, in the 2022 gubernatorial election.
“When we talk about what we stand for, we win,” Wong wrote. “But we can’t be afraid to have those discussions with voters, I’m not, and I’m the only elected Republican representative within the 128 belt.”
“As your next Republican state committeeman, I will work tirelessly to recruit Republican candidates at all levels of government and train them to be successful on election day,” the letter reads.
Harrington said he enthusiastically supported Wong to replace Zykofsky.
“Donald Wong has been a tireless and effective legislator working for the citizens of Saugus, Lynn, Wakefield, and Lynnfield,” he said. “Donald works with everyone and anyone in a relentless pursuit of better government service. It is an honor to work for him. He is a true statesman.”
Wong is set to run for a full four-year term on the State Committee during the presidential primary next March.
Each of the Commonwealth’s state Senate districts are represented in the State Committee by both a committeeman and a committeewoman. The 3rd Essex District, which Wong now serves, is also represented by Amy Carnevale, of Marblehead, the chair of the State Committee.
Members of the State Committee play a “key role” in the party’s operations by “recruiting candidates, helping with fundraising, registering new voters, and growing the local Republican city and town committees in the district,” according to the party’s website.
