Republican candidates offer different approaches for 2nd Plymouth District seat

Republican voters will decide on Tuesday, Sept. 1 whether to keep incumbent state Rep. John Gaskey (R-Carver) on the ballot or give challenger Mark Townsend a shot to go to the State House.

Two Republicans, who share similar conservative ideologies, are asking voters to choose between distinct styles of governing in the upcoming election. The candidates are vying for the Massachusetts House of Representatives 2nd Plymouth District seat, which includes Wareham, Carver and part of Middleboro. 

Whoever wins the primary in September will face Democratic nominee and Carver Select Board member Sarah Hewins in November’s general election. Hewins previously ran for the seat three times – in 2016, 2018 and 2024.

Gaskey’s campaign was recently rattled by a civil lawsuit filed by a former aide alleging Gaskey sexually harassed and retaliated against her after she rejected his advances. Gaskey has denied the allegations as “baseless, politically motivated, and false.” The case comes less than a month before the primary election. 

In interviews prior to when the lawsuit was reported, candidates spoke to Wareham Week about their varying visions for the district. 

Both conservative, but different in approach

Neither Townsend nor Gaskey pointed to distinct ideological differences with each other. Townsend, who is the current chair of the Carver Select Board, said he and Gaskey are both “conservative Republicans.” However, the two candidates present different visions of what that conservatism will look like in the State House. 

Gaskey, who was first elected in 2024, looks to continue a bold, culturally conservative approach, while Townsend pitches himself as a “fiscal conservative” and results-oriented legislator. 

Townsend said he was inspired to challenge Gaskey due to his frustrations over the dissolution of the North Carver Water District taking “too long” in the Legislature. 

He also said he felt Gaskey missed too many roll call votes. According to state Legislature records, Gaskey missed 18 votes in 2025. Gaskey, however, has not yet missed any votes in 2026. 

Townsend proposes what he calls a “results-first agenda.” 

“I just think I have a history of being able to bring coalitions together and get things done,” Townsend said, noting his time on the Carver Select Board. He pointed to the recently constructed police station that opened in Carver in 2021, and his town’s handling of American Rescue Plan Act funding that he called “really successful.” 

Townsend’s priorities include supporting seniors, public safety, affordability and support for local communities. He has criticized the MBTA Communities Act, which required towns adjacent to or containing commuter rail stops to zone for multifamily housing. “It’s a bad idea for the State House to be legislating local zoning for towns,” he said. 

Townsend added that he believes there should have been a “carve out” for communities that don’t have the infrastructure to support dense zoning. 

Wareham has largely been in compliance with the zoning law since 2023.

Gaskey, the incumbent, brands himself as an “anti-establishment” conservative. According to a campaign flyer, his priorities include “fighting for families,” opposing high energy costs and defending constitutional rights. 

“We need to take bold action,” Gaskey said. “I’m being bold. I’m being courageous to try to shake things up and get people paying attention again.”

Gaskey has also garnered attention for his sharp rhetoric online, referencing a Facebook post he made in June with an AI-generated image reading “Pride Month? How about American Pride Month!!!” The image depicted devil horns next to the word “pride.” 

Gaskey said he “took a lot of heat” for the post.

"As far as culture war-ish type stuff, I'm guilty," Gaskey said. "Yeah, I am. And sometimes I can be fairly inflammatory, but I'm always willing to have a conversation about it."

Still, Gaskey doubled down on his stance, referring to the LGBTQ+ community from what he said was in the perspective of his Christian faith.

"Pride is one of the seven deadly sins," he said. "And you know, I'm also a veteran and I find it pretty offensive that we have an entire month dedicated to people that are morally corrupt."

Working across the aisle

Both Republicans emphasized the need to work with the legislature’s Democratic veto-proof supermajority while in office. There are currently 134 Democrats, 25 Republicans and one independent in the Massachusetts House. 

“You can’t just go up there and vote no on everything,” Townsend said. “You have to try to work for your constituents and get things done.”

Gaskey said that in his first two years as state Representative, he found common ground with Democrats on environmental policies while other legislators sometimes agreed with him on his policies to protect religious and parental rights.

“There is room to work,” Gaskey said. He added that he has built relationships and searched through bills to find where he aligns with others and joined them.   

Gaskey noted that he has worked with state Rep. Carole Fiola (D-Fall River). In 2025, the two petitioned legislation together to require training licensed “mandated reporters” to recognize child abuse and neglect. However, the legislation did not pass.