The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza
asks if former Harvard Pilgrim CEO Charlie Baker can be a
replay of Scott Brown in the Massachusetts governor’s race later
this year. Baker has an impressive resume in both the private
sector and in government, serving in the Weld and Cellucci
administrations. Governor is a rare office where Massachusetts
voters favor Republicans — the GOP has won four of the last five
gubernatorial elections — and incumbent Deval Patrick’s numbers
are worse than Martha Coakley’s.
But there are two reasons I think a simple comparison to Scott
Brown is unwarranted. Baker is going to have some problems riding
the populist wave that benefited Brown. That’s partly because he
is a stylistically different candidate. It is also because he has
to face Christy Mihos, a more natural populist, in the Republican
primary. If he wins the nomination, he’ll have to contend with
Tim Cahill running as an independent fiscal conservative,
potentially denying him a clean shot at Patrick.
Both Mihos and Cahill can be overcome, but I don’t think either
of them can at this point be discounted. That said, Baker does
have a decent shot of doing something Scott Brown did — win
statewide office in Massachusetts while running as a Republican.
saltzmas| 2.4.10 @ 4:20PM
Want a real conversation about the Massachusetts gubernatorial race? Watch Basic Black live TONIGHT (Thursday 2/4) at 7:30pm on WGBH Channel 2 or streaming online at www.basicblack.org. As always, there will be a live chat accompanying the show, so you can tell us what YOU think. We will also be addressing Scott Brown’s recent meeting with clergy of color, as well as the president’s new plans to aid small businesses.
kingsmill| 2.4.10 @ 8:02PM
Baker has already shown that he lacks Scott Brown's political ear.
Baker chose to run with an openly gay, culturally liberal and fiscally suspect state senator Richard Tisei.
Instead of skillfully maneuvering around the social issues, Baker has branded himself as an enemy of social conservatives. This was completely unnecessary. Baker will suffer for it.
commonwealth| 2.4.10 @ 8:19PM
Baker is the worst possible candidate
in Mass. He came from the Weld RINO
stable -is a proponent of homosexual marriage
abortion, etc. He has no political skills and
is just a creature of consultants. How unlike
Scott Brown who fought against the leftist
agenda to destroy family in MA. Baker will not get
my Republican /Independent vote.