Radio Host Heading Protests At Baker's Home Was Once A Democrat

SWAMPSCOTT, MA — The conservative talk radio host who has vowed to hold weekly protests outside Gov. Charlie Baker's Swampscott home until he lets businesses reopen was a Democrat until 2013. By 2016, Dianna Ploss quit her job to campaign full-time for Trump.

She founded MA 4 Trump and, since the coronavirus pandemic escalated, has been a vocal supporter of Trump on her talk show. That has made Gov. Charlie Baker a target. Ploss and supporters will be in front of Baker's Swampscott home on Thursday for the third straight weekly protest of the state shutdown of nonessential businesses.

Ploss sent an email to listeners last month asking them to conduct protests similar to ones that have been held in other states. Ploss suggested coronavirus concerns have been blown out of proportion. In her email, she was particularly critical of Baker's decision to order churches and gun stores closed through at least May 4.

Baker has since extended that order to May 18, and Ploss has vowed to continue the protests every Thursday morning. Even then, Baker said Monday, reopening the state's economy will come in phases. "There won't be anyone firing a starting gun on May 18 and saying everyone is off to the races," Baker said.

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While Baker is a Republican, Ploss and her supporters often call him a RINO, meaning "Republican In Name Only." At last week's rally she told a Gloucester Daily Times reporter she and the 16 other protesters want Baker to switch political parties.

"We want to see people be able to go back to work," said Ploss. "We want to see people not threatened with being fined if they go out of their house without a mask on or if they go into a supermarket."

In a 2016 interview with NPR, Ploss said her shift in political allegiance started in 2013. Ploss lives in Cambridge and is a Gloucester native, but her shown runs on WSMN 1590, a 5,000-watt station in Nashua, NH.

While Ploss talked about Americans being a "team" that needed to regroup in the NPR interview shortly after Trump was elected, she has been critical of the president's opponents since starting her show. On her Twitter page, she regularly spars with critics, many of whom question her plan for weekly protests outside Baker's house.

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Dave Copeland writes for Patch and can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).