Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican Politician who has regularly surveyed as the most popular governor in the nation, is facing declining fundraising numbers in the middle of increasing criticism for his handling of the coronavirus, stirring questions about whether he’ll look for re-election next year and even attempt to pass the torch early.
Why it matters: Increasingly, the country’s guvs are under growing analysis for their states’ infection and death rates, financial losses and vaccine strategies. Democratic governors representing 2 of the most populous states– Gavin Newsom of California and Andrew Cuomo of New York City– are defending their political survival.
- The departure of Donald Trump as president has removed a foil many guvs used to explain problems with their state COVID relief efforts.
Information: In Massachusetts, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito has dramatically increased her fundraising while Baker’s has actually declined. They are up for reelection in 2022.
- Campaign financing reports show she ended last month with $1.95 million cash on hand; he finished with $590,000 She grew her balance by nearly 10%during 2020; his declined by over 35%.
- Senior citizens in the state are complaining about long lines and confusing vaccination signups.
- Legislators at every level are angry, too, and there are sticking around questions about why a medical capital has actually had high case and death rates.
- A current Boston World heading questioned the vaunted management abilities of Baker, a previous healthcare executive and state spending plan chief.
- A Boston Herald columnist recently raised the specter of Baker taking a golden parachute by heading two newly merged health care business– Tufts Health insurance and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, where Baker formerly acted as CEO.
- Campaign spokesman Jim Conroy stated: “Governor Baker’s top concern and focus stays handling the Commonwealth through the pandemic, rather than electoral politics.”
The intrigue: While Massachusetts is an extremely blue state, it has a history of choosing Republican governors. Two current ones– Costs Weld and Paul Cellucci– presaged Baker and Polito by running in tandem with their lieutenant governors prior to passing off the corner office.
- Weld left Cellucci as guv in 1997 throughout a failed mission to become U.S. ambassador to Mexico. Cellucci left Jane Swift as guv in 2001 after winning confirmation as ambassador to Canada.
- Baker served both Weld and Cellucci as secretary of Administration and Financing. Polito has been a faithful Baker ally, and Massachusetts has a reasonably thin Republican bench.
But, but, but: Local politicos have noted that Baker spent much of the previous year managing COVID-19, striking his political activity and making fundraising appear unseemly.
- He also raised money throughout his very first two projects in big chunks through a political action committee that might accept contributions exceeding the $1,000 limit on specific contributions.
- One Baker consultant told Axios that when Baker leaves workplace– probably not before any term ends– the governor is not likely to assume a CEO role.
Baker’s problems could be worse— simply take a look at some of his equivalents. In California, Newsom faces a threatened recall effort. In New York City, Cuomo deals with the wrath of state lawmakers– and prospective legal jeopardy.
- Cuomo won rave evaluations and an Emmy and wrote a book after his televised omnipresence while the coronavirus ravaged New york city last spring. Now he faces federal examinations into his handling of assisted living home deaths and accusations of browbeating his medical consultants
- Newsom was criticized for his state’s COVID revival, rigid lockdowns and his individual habits, consisting of eating at a Michelin-starred dining establishment Napa Valley without obvious social distancing
What we’re watching: Massachusetts Attorney General Of The United States Maura Healey, a Democrat, has been weighing a bid for guv, and a Democratic former state senator has already declared his candidateship.
- Another high-profile Democrat, former Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy III, lost a main project to unseat Democratic Sen. Edward J. Markey last fall. He has actually stated he has no instant strategies to run for any other optional workplace, however recently launched a grassroots arranging effort
Editor’s note: Updates with comment from Baker representative, and adjusts speculation about potential next jobs.
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