Richard Tisei | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Minority Leader of the Massachusetts Senate | |
| In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Brian Lees |
| Succeeded by | Bruce Tarr |
| Member of the Massachusetts Senate | |
| In office January 3, 1991 – January 3, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | John A. Brennan, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Katherine Clark |
| Constituency | 3rd Middlesex (1991–2003) Middlesex and Essex (2003–2011) |
| Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from the 22nd Middlesex district | |
| In office January 3, 1985 – January 3, 1991 | |
| Preceded by | Alfred Minahan |
| Succeeded by | William F. Cass |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 13, 1962 Somerville, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Bernie Starr (m. 2013) |
| Residence | Wakefield, Massachusetts |
| Alma mater | American University (BA) |
| Website | Campaign website |
Richard R. Tisei (/tɪˈseɪ/; born August 13, 1962) is an American politician and real estate agent from Massachusetts. A Republican, he served in both chambers of the Massachusetts General Court for a combined 26 years, eventually becoming Minority Leader in the Massachusetts Senate. He was the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts in 2010 and the nominee for Congress from Massachusetts's 6th district in 2012 and 2014.
A graduate of American University, Tisei was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1984. At 22, he was the youngest Republican ever elected to the Massachusetts General Court. Tisei served in the House until 1990, when he was elected to the Massachusetts Senate. He was elected Assistant Minority Leader in 1997 and Minority Leader in January 2007. He did not run for re-election in 2010, instead running for Lieutenant Governor alongside Republican gubernatorial nominee Charlie Baker. The two lost to Democratic incumbents Deval Patrick and Tim Murray by 6.41%.
Tisei ran for the United States House of Representatives in 2012, narrowly losing to seven-term Democratic incumbent John F. Tierney by 1.2%. He ran again in 2014 and faced former U.S. Marine Seth Moulton in the general election after Moulton defeated Tierney in the Democratic primary. Tisei was defeated again, this time by almost 14%. Tisei has received attention as one of the few openly gay Republicans to have run for Congress.