(Editor’s note: the content of this column was written on March 12 and set to auto-post today.)
It’s official! David T. Vieira of Falmouth is in the running for state representative of the third Barnstable district!
Mr. Vieira gave me the head’s up last week at a Mashpee Republican Town Committee meeting, and he pulled the trigger on Wednesday. There should be a full profile in the front section of this paper (except for Sandwich, because it’s not in the district…no soup for you!).
This sets the stage for a possible rematch between Mr. Vieira and State Representative Matthew C. Patrick (D – Falmouth), who faced off in 2000 as fellow first-time candidates for the Legislature. If this one goes forward, it’ll be a very cool race to watch.
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Hey, debate fans! There’s something juicy coming up next week!
The Cape Codder Resort will host a head-to-head debate between Republican gubernatorial candidates Charles D. Baker Jr. and Christy P. Mihos next Friday, March 26, starting at 7 PM. The Cape Cod Republican Committee and the Women’s Republican Club of Cape Cod put this baby together, and I’m betting this is going to be a fun night.
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Since we’re talking about the governor’s race, I’ll take up this item I’ve been sitting on for a couple of weeks…
The latest Suffolk University/WHDH-TV poll on the governor’s race is not looking promising for Mr. Mihos. In a theoretical primary showdown between the two Republican candidates, Mr. Baker wins with 47 percent of voters polled supporting him, 36 percent undecided, and 17 percent siding with Mr. Mihos.
You know you’re doing poorly if you finish third behind “undecided.” And this is a major turnaround since the last poll in November, which had Mihos in the lead with 33 percent support to Baker’s 30 percent.
(For those of you who care about such things, Baker’s campaign war chest is sprinting toward the $2 million mark. Mihos’s coffers are looking mighty empty at a shade under $4,700. I hasten to add a quick word of advice for the candidates, in particular Charlie Baker: stop bragging about how much money you’re raising. It’s not helping you win hearts and minds. Really.)
Democrat Grace Ross is in a similar boat. In a theoretical primary race between her and incumbent Deval L. Patrick, Gov. Patrick, 59 percent of those surveyed said they’d vote for him, 26 percent were undecided, and 15 percent chose Ms. Ross.
Now, in a theoretical four-way race between Gov. Patrick, Mr. Baker, Green-Rainbow Party candidate Dr. Jill E. Stein, and unenrolled candidate Timothy P. Cahill, the results were, respectively: 33 percent, 25 percent, three percent, and 23 percent.
A Rasmussen Reports poll generated the same basic results: Gov. Patrick narrowly beat Mr. Baker, and Mr. Cahill came in third. Dr. Stein was nowhere to be seen in this poll; the fourth slot went to “undecided.”
Interestingly, in a theoretical race in which Mr. Mihos was the Republican candidate, Gov. Patrick still won and Tim Cahill was the runner-up, and Smilin’ Christy M. came in third.
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In other gubernatorial news, Mr. Cahill announced last week he has added to former strategists from US Senator John McCain’s (R) 2008 Presidential campaign: John Weaver and John Yob.
Supporters are promoting this as the addition of some serious muscle to Mr. Cahill’s campaign, but I don’t know if I’d crow too loudly about having guys on my team whose last big gig was helping the guy who lost.
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And as Mr. Cahill’s campaign team grows, Mr. Mihos’s shrinks. Joe Manzoli, Mr. Mihos’s campaign manager, left the team last week, stating only that he wanted his professional life to move “in a different direction.”
The candidate insists all is well within his camp, despite a recent spate of campaign staff and personal finance issues.
I should note that Mr. Mihos recently attended a Tea Party-sponsored event in Westborough. This appearance has fueled speculation that he’s courting the Tea Party movement to revitalize his flagging campaign.
Whether this is true and proves a shrewd and successful new strategy or a dying candidate’s desperate Hail Mary play has yet to be seen, but it could work; Baker has been heavily criticized in some corners as being a big-money mainstream candidate, so a well-played “outsider” card could yield some positive results.
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Our last note this week on the governor’s race: Ms. Ross, who jumped ship from the Green-Rainbow Party to join the Democrats, has launched her campaign website at www.graceross.org.
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We’ve previously seen “Jokes With Jeff,” now it’s time for “Pizza With Perry.”
State Representative Jeffrey D. Perry (R – Sandwich), candidate for the 10th Congressional district, will hold a fundraiser on Thursday, April 15 – not coincidentally, the day after the deadline for filing your taxes – at the Hyannis VFW near the airport rotary. That runs from 6 PM to 7:30 PM, and campaign donations will be accepted at the door.
Go to www.jeffperryforcongress.com/events.html for details.
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Eric Steinhilber is Everywhere Man!
The Republican (and so far only) candidate for State Senator of the Cape and Islands district will be putting in face time at several events across the Cape this spring, including a candidates’ night in Eastham (March 25), the aforementioned gubernatorial debate, a fundraiser for Barnstable County Sheriff James M. Cummings (April 2), a Woman’s Republican Club of Cape Cod luncheon (April 9), the “Brewster in Bloom Parade” (May 2), and the Cape Cod Republican Club’s annual meeting (May 17).
Go to Mr. Steinhilber’s campaign website at www.electeric2010.com for more info, then get out and say hi to the chap.
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State Representative Karyn Polito (R – Shrewsbury) has launched her new website in support of her campaign for state treasurer. Go to www.karynpolitofortreasurer.com to learn more.
Meanwhile, Republican Brian J. Herr has dropped out of the treasurer’s race and is now running for the third Congressional district.
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The official campaign website for Walter Moniz, Democratic candidate for governor’s councilor of the first district, is also up and running. That’s at http://waltermoniz.com.
Political news and announcements may be sent to Michael Bailey, Region editor and senior political reporter, at bailey@capenews.net
