Unconventional Wisdom
The Lowell Sun
In two days Democrats will select a gubernatorial candidate to take on Republican Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey, and The Column raises this important question: Is is too late to launch a sticker campaign for U.S. Rep. Marty Meehan?
Marty coulda been a contendah. Heck, he coulda been governah. This wuz the year.
Soon our esteemed congressman will turn 50, and the years are starting to pile up when Marty shoulda made a move for governah. Or wuz it U.S. Senatah?
One thing is certain, the Democrats need a winnah in Tuesday’s election. Not someone who can beat up other Democrats in a primary. The Dems need someone who … can …go … all … the … way.
A November Numero Uno. A Republican slayer.
During the past 18 years, Democrats named Silber (1988), Roosevelt (1992), Harshbarger (1996), and O’Brien (2000) lost to Republicans named Weld1, Weld2, Cellucci and Romney.
While the names add up, the numbers don’t. There are 1.5 million registered Democrats in Massachusetts and only 532,000 Republicans. So where’s the GOP’s election muscle? The great midlibs — better known as independents — number more than 2 million!
This year, Democrats have three solid candidates in Deval Patrick, Chris Gabrieli and Attorney General Tom Reilly. According to pollsters and realists, however, only moderates Gabrieli and Reilly are given a 50-50 chance at unseating Healey in November. This should tell you something about the party: Gabrieli and Reilly had to scrounge to get on the primary ballot while the looney left made Patrick the all-too-liberal frontrunner — and he’s now perceived as a Democratic November unwinnable!
So what happens Tuesday? At least two polls have Patrick a runaway winner with nearly 42 percent of the low-turnout vote.
Republicans are already salivating at the prospect, sensing “Deval for All and Everything” would be a good matchup for Her Highness Healey.
The Column contrarian offers another view. Dems want to win in November, not just look good losing. The GOP-weary midlibs take an early stand, peel up Patrick’s left wingers, and pull off a September surprise.
The prediction: Patrick plummets to second behind … Gabrieli? Reilly?
The contrarian says this would have been a whole lot easier if Marty were on the ballot.
