Seems there will be a busy Gubernatorial race coming up. Deval Patrick will run for re-election, Christy Mihos has committed to running again as a Republican, current Treasurer Tim Cahill left the Dems to set up a run as an unenrolled candidate and now Charlie Baker is going to run in the Republican primary.
I voted for Patrick last time and will probably do so again. But I worry about his prospects. He started with some embarassing little things that didn't play well in the press. Then the economy tanked and he's been forced to champion some budget cuts and tax increases that never go over well, no matter how necessary they may be.
Cahill may steal some conservative Dems and unenrolled voters that Patrick finally got to check the D column. He and Mihos are somewhat wildcards that can't easily be dismissed. But Baker is the biggest threat to Patrick. He could pick up a majority the same way that Weld and Cellucci did: blasting "tax and spend" Democrats and one party rule of the state while identifying as a fiscal conservative from the "real world" that will leave the social stuff largely alone.
It will be interesting to see if, like John Kerry in 96--Patrick can overcome the unimpressive image and rise to the occasion brought by top-flight competition.
1 comment:
I agree that in the long run Baker may be the greatest threat. If he can put abortion, gay marriage, and other late 90s social issues "behind him" while easing up on the rush to gambling that the other 3 has, he can neutralize any concern on non-economic lines.
If Baker can make the case that he's a steady economic administrator during these tough times who has the political independence to root out waste -- any get by Mihos with that type of image -- he could be a real problem.
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