This week we lead off with a big non-surprise announcement that Grace C. Ross is officially out of the gubernatorial race.
Ms. Ross, who this year left the Green-Rainbow Party to challenge Governor Deval L. Patrick for the Democratic nomination, announced last week that she fell far short of collecting the 10,000 voter signatures she needed to get on the primary ballot: she only collected 5,700 signatures.
So, good news for Gov. Patrick, who can hold onto the money he would have spent in a primary race and use in the general election…not that he necessarily would have spent a lot, because Ms. Ross was not an exceptionally strong candidate, especially as a Democrat.
With Ms. Ross out, it’s safe to say the race for governor is now on full-blast as none of the four candidates – Gov. Patrick, Republican Charles D. Baker Jr., unenrolled candidate Timothy P. Cahill, and Green-Rainbow candidate Dr. Jill E. Stein – have a primary race.
***
Speaking of Mr. Baker, here’s a challenge to the candidate: grow a spine. Please.
Baker sat down last week with WHDH-TV’s Andy Hiller and responded to those Republican Governors’ Association ads now running on TV and the radio dragging Tim Cahill over hot coals spiked with broken glass and rusty nails (metaphorically speaking). And by “responded” I mean “wussed out.” Here’s the exchange…
Hiller: Do you want those ads off TV?
Baker: It doesn’t matter if I want those ads off TV…
Hiller: Because you’re powerless?
Baker: Because I don’t make decisions about what independent organizations choose to do in Massachusetts.
Hiller: If you called the Republican Governors’ Association and said “I am the Republican candidate. Please take those ads down,” what would they say? “You’re breaking the law by calling us?”
Baker: I don’t know what they would say, but I’m not going to call them and ask them that question and say that to them because I don’t want anything associated with my campaign to be associated with them.
Psst! Charlie! IT ALREADY IS.
Voters are hearing “Republican” attached to those ads and, rightfully or not, they’re drawing a direct line between the dots of the RGA and you. And why not? The RGA is running them to support your campaign. You don’t want the ads running? Call the RGA and ask them to knock it off, and if they don’t, publicly condemn the ads. Sitting back and shrugging and going “Eh, what can you do?” does indeed make you seem powerless.
***
And then there’s Gov. Patrick, who doesn’t seem to be learning from past mistakes.
You’ve probably heard by now Gov. Patrick just got a new official vehicle, a $53,000 SUV to replace the infamous Cadillac he purchased in 2007 for $46,000 to replace the traditional (and less expensive) Ford Crown Victoria.
The governor’s mouthpieces are throwing out lots of reasons why this is no big deal, mentioning everything from Gov. Patrick’s need for the roomier vehicle following last year’s hip surgery to its superior mileage (it’s a hybrid so it gets a whopping two miles to the gallon more than the Caddy), but it is a big deal in terms of public perception.
After the Cadillac purchase, Gov. Patrick was lambasted for his extravagant spending of taxpayer money, and now he’s paying more for a vehicular behemoth even as the Legislature is chopping $159 million from local and education aid. If that doesn’t feel like a slap in the face, I don’t know what does.
***
Two men running for State Senator of the Cape and Islands District have secured their spots on the ballot. Democrat Daniel A. Wolf and Republican Eric R. Steinhilber both recently announced that they had filed the signatures with the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Office and are good to go.
***
Another candidate for that office, Democrat Sheila R. Lyons, has a couple of campaign events coming up. She’ll be in Cummaquid on Tuesday, June 15 from 10 to 11:30 AM for a “meet the candidate coffee,” and in Barnstable for a fundraising barbecue on Sunday, June 20 from 4 to 7 PM.
Want to know where these events are? So do I; the website doesn’t list the locations. You have to go to http://sheilalyons2010.com/events and contact the campaign directly for that info. I can only assume by this odd clandestine air that guests will also receive the password and secret handshake they’ll need to get in.
***
James M. Cummings, Barnstable County sheriff, is hosting a fundraiser for State Representative Jeffrey D. Perry (R – Sandwich) next month in support of Rep. Perry’s Congressional race.
That event will be held at the Cape’s favorite spot for Republican revelry, the Yarmouth House on Route 28 in (where else?) Yarmouth. It’s scheduled to run from 6 to 8 PM on Monday, June 14.
***
One of Rep. Perry’s rivals, Joseph D. Malone, made another visit to the Cape this week as part of his “Joe’s on the Job Tour” of local businesses, making a stop at Hyannis Country Garden last Friday.
Democrat William R. Keating also visited the region last weekend, making an appearance in Bourne to formally announce his candidacy for Congress. He made several other stops within the district that day and finished off in Quincy.
***
A Democratic candidate for Congress, State Senator Robert A. O’Leary (D – Barnstable), will be the guest of honor at a June 17 reception at The Island Merchant in Hyannis. Paul G. Kirk Jr., former interim US Senator, and Cynthia Cole are co-hosting the event.
The reception runs from 5:30 to 7:30 PM, and the suggested contribution is $125 to $500. TO RSVP contact Jon Patsavos at 617-470-4122 or patsavos@olearyforcongress.com.
***
While we’re talking about the Congressional race, Harwich High School will host on Tuesday afternoon a candidates’ forum. As of this writing two of the Republican candidates, Mr. Malone and Ray Kasperowicz, have confirmed. The forum is the work of the Advanced Placement United States Government class, and a student panel will ask the questions in the debate-style forum. The public is invited to attend the forum, which begins at 1 PM.
***
Here’s your final reminder that F. Randal Hunt, Republican candidate for State Representative of the Fifth Barnstable District, has a fundraiser next Friday at the Tao Water Art Gallery on Route 6A in Barnstable, from 6 to 8 PM.
Political news and announcements may be sent to Michael Bailey, Region editor and senior political reporter, at bailey@capenews.net
Tags: 10th Congressional district, 2010 election, Charlie Baker, Dan Wolf, Eric Steinhilber, Governor Deval Patrick, Jeff Perry, Jill Stein, Jim Cummings, Joe Malone, Randy Hunt, Ray Kasperowicz, Rob O'Leary, Sheila Lyons, Tim Cahill, William Keating
The views and opinions in the Enterprise blogs are those of the author and are not neccessarily shared by Falmouth Publishing.
