The November race would then have Christy, Charley Baker, Tim Cahill, and Deval.
Christy would be a player and will get his vote. If Christy stays in Repub race we will never know he is there. And most of his base won’t get the chance to vote for him.
People have grown to like Christy over the years. He is not as much of a gadfly as he was once thought. Still a gadfly though. And he has been right about much of the waste at the Turnpike.
You need at at minimum 25.1% of the vote to have a chance to win win among four candidates.
I bet Christy has an automatic base of 10 – 12% among repubs, dems, and indies.
He could win like Arnold or Jesse Ventura.
A populist candidate.
Christy, really dude, you have to do this. This will allow you to play a real role in the election and lightening may strike.
Think of the fun you could have busting Charley Baker’s balls. You will drive him nuts. Asking questions about his record in the debates. making him expalin actions he took during Weld/Celluci. Actions you are well schooled in Christy.
Nobody will be listening to your rants in a Republican primary in August. But being one of four candidates, all legitimate, in October would be gold. Gold I tell ya. Gold!
jimc says
Do it, Christy.
billxi says
Christy beats Charlie Butcher at the Republican convention in June. Charlie Candlestickmaker does the honorable thing and drops out. Christy wins while the blues are fighting over deval and cahill. I went from Unenrolled to Republican to vote for Christy. Others are doing so too. Because the democratic totalitarinism in MA must be slowed. I know Chrlie Baker less than I know Dr. Gerry Dembowski, who is also running for the Republican nomination for Governor.
sabutai says
Mihos loses (the establishment money isn’t there), and declares as an independent. Deval still wins, but it’s a fun campaign.
davemb says
This came up on the other thread — I think it isn’t, but I don’t know for sure.
ryepower12 says
you can. Dianne Wilkerson did it. That said, if the gubernatorial primary happens after the deadline to file as an independent candidate, it would then be impossible (though not illegal), which may be the case.
ryepower12 says
Ignore what I wrote above. My brain fart ended. Dianne couldn’t run as an independent – because the deadline had passed. She was going to try for a sticker campaign.
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p>So, no, you can’t get on the ballot as an independent if you lose a primary, because the deadline is already passed. My qualification was correct.
billxi says
Is spending $8-10 million of his OWN money. Any donations to him and the MAGOP will be funnelled to local candidates. Lets see the other candidates plans. Put up or shut up.
ryepower12 says
unenrolled candidates can vote in either primary, right? (Ie you didn’t have to switch to vote for Christy.)
billxi says
I voted in the democratic primary last year. However I feel that democratic totalitarinism must be slowed. I’m not naive enough to believe it can be halted in one election, but the Republican party has to start somewhere. And if it needs a kick in the ass…. well, I’ve already pissed them off too.
ryepower12 says
amberpaw says
Just asking.
billxi says
Is an announced candidate for the Republican party nomination for Governor of Massachusetts. He is a practicing physician. I believe he is from Brockton. That’s ok, I was asking who Charlie Butcher was, myself. It should be a doozy of a convention. I plan on attending it. Republicans are Inclusive.
regularjoe says
You were just joshing right? Inclusive? Ha Ha Ha, that is just what I think when I see pictures of their conventions, the angry white people have black hair, red hair, brown hair, blonde hair, dirty blonde hair, strawberry blonde hair, auburn hair, gray hair, white hair, or no hair. A real rainbow.
billxi says
In attending a couple of Republican events in my (almost) first month as a Rebublican I have met people from diverse backgrounds. So I won’t offend anyone, let me say: it’s not just a bunch of old rich white guys anymore. Those guys are now democratic hacks. How many disabled people were on the floor of your 2006 convention. I know from personal experience that the DCU Centrum Centre is not disability friendly. I AM going to attend the republican convention there next year. As i said: the Republican party is inclusive.
christopher says
If you discover that their convention hall is more accessible than ours we’d love to hear about it. The Party is committed even to the point of disabled add-ons to both state committee and convention delegation.
billxi says
Is meeting at the DCU bCentrum Centre. My “Beatty backer” friends have promised me they’ll get me in. Or I am going to have one hell of a lawsuit. Regarding your statement on the disabled, may I quote President Obama: “Just words”. All talk, no walk. I have personally seen how you people treat your disabled supporters. Like shit! nobody is ever doing that to me!
christopher says
Didn’t you just complain about the DCU center (although it must be required to be ADA compliant)? I’m pretty sure I just mentioned how the party “walks the walk” (interesting idiom when talking about the mobility impaired, but I digress) with the example of making sure there is disabled representation at both convention and state committee. Don’t you dare “you people” me. You have no idea how I treat others, and if I do say so myself I think it’s pretty well, thank you very much.
sue-kennedy says
I worked with the DSC to identify disabled delegates and any special requirements. Brian Muldoon and Cheryl Cummings did a magnificent job ensuring that the various needs were met so that all delegates were able to access and fully participate in every function of the Convention.
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p>Having several disabled delegates from my senate district, I checked in after the Convention to get feedback and it was all positive. They were glad they attended and would do it again.
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p>Congratulations to the DSC and particularly Brian Muldoon and Cheryl Cummings for making this a truly inclusive event.
billxi says
Will they be allowed access to the convention floor? The last row of the 100 sections is not total accessibility. If you can sit at floor level, I want to sit at floor level. Please tell me when you actually eyeball a wheelchair on the floor level.
I speak about physical experience there. You are likely parroting what someone told you. Saying something is accessible is a far cry from actually BEING accessible.
sue-kennedy says
This was a learning experience for me. We had a wide variety of needs that we tried to identify ahead of time. I think that was the key. A disabled delegate explained to me that it was exhausting enough just to make the arrangements to get to the Centere. So then the plan was to insure that all accommodations were ready upon their arrival.
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p>Senate districts with identified delegates in wheelchairs were placed on the floor. Our senate district had 2 delegates with wheelchairs with us sitting on the floor. They reported the handicap parking was sufficient and nearby, no lines to stand in, and they thoroughly enjoyed their experience.
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p>What I did learn was we need to look beyond the convention center itself and make sure all delegates are able to find a nearby hotel and transportation for those who wish to participate in the pre-convention activities.
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p>John Walsh spun a sub-sub-committee on disability outreach into an independently functioning committee. Cheryl Cummings is chairing this committee and as you may be aware…any committee is only as good as its chair….this is becoming one of the most active committees on the DSC dealing with convention accommodations, but also State and National issues.
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p>I’m sorry if you had a bad experience at some point. But there is currently a system to not only reach out to disabled democrats, but to ensure their participation and ability to shape that system.
billxi says
maybe I blazed a trail in March of 2006. Because they were awful in their dealing with me.
justice4all says
The demographs of Congress and the state tell me we still have a long way to go before we congratulate ourselves on our diversity. The real power is not in the hands of the cheerleaders, but in running and getting elected.
billxi says
But Republicans are getting Better at it. The Massachusetts democratic state government has made it’s stand on inclusion quite clear: We talk a good game, but we’re not going to actually DO anything about it.”
justice4all says
My “contratulatory” comment was to Regular Joe. The Democratic Party indulges in hearty self-congratulations because our conventions reflect the rainbow, but it’s mostly still the same old white guys in power. The cheerleaders are diverse…but not the ones getting elected.
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p>As for disability access – we do talk a good game. We do what’s convenient (like providing sign language) but in terms of real access for people for the less than able bodies- not so much.
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p>When I was an undergrad, my fine arts professor took us to Marblehead to look at some of the architecturally historical buildings in the town. Unfortunately, some of the buildings weren’t handicapped accessible, and one of my classmates, having had a stroke some years back as a very young woman, couldn’t access the building. To add salt to the wound…the idiot historian deplored the building of ramps, etc…because she felt they took away from the building. I stayed out side with my classmate.
billxi says
I should know better. ADA laws are like most democrats: they sound good, making them work is too much hassle. Fortunately for me there are many wonderful people to help me over and around the barriers.
sabutai says
My state senate district has two very active disabled veterans who I see at committee meetings, breakfasts, forums, and yes the state convention. I see them everywhere. The state as a whole is not very disabled accessible and that is a problem. Trying to pretend that it’s because of the Democrats isn’t credible.
justice4all says
Sab – I usually agree with you on most things…but God almighty – “get over it?” Are you effing kidding me? You’re likely quite able-bodied and have no FREAKING clue about the challenge it takes for disabled people to get around. Instead of the glass ceiling…let’s talk about the iron-clad doorway. It’s a b****, and I pray to God you never, ever have to know what that’s like. When it was time to take my sister out, with her highly specialized wheelchair, 2 nurses, and oxygen tank…we had a hell of a time trying to get around. Add two (able-bodied) kids and I had my hands full. One wonderful day, I spent about 90 minutes in a back hallway during an alarm activation at a museum – trying to calm her down while praying to God that we weren’t forgotten. And we were forgotten. Get over it, indeed. Let’s see you say that to some other population. This is why we have laws to protect the rights of the disabled, because all people should have equal access to public buildings. Laws that all too often get ignored.
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p>And no one, Mr. extremely thin-skinned, stated that it was because of the Dems. I just think it’s a hoot when when we pat ourselves on the back for being so maaaahvelously inclusive when we’re really no better than the next guy when it comes to access for the disabled. We do what’s convenient – no more and no less.
christopher says
Even among those of us who are varying degrees of disabled, some tend toward playing victim and some make the best of it.
billxi says
I am a FUCKING human being! Snark all you like, but it is the law that supposedly guarantees me the same rights as others. Oh, excuse me, I forget Ilive in Massachusetts. You guys are just so lucky I can’t post my Framingham State College pics. I don’t know why, but I am inable to post them here on BMG.
christopher says
…knock it off with the profanity – that’s the primary reason for my downrate in this particular comment. I doubt you’ll find much opposition to ADA and similar laws on BMG. I’m not sure what the Massachusetts reference was for, but certainly public buildings like a state college are required to be accesible. If you figure out how to post those pictures (and I’m just not that technically savvy) please write a diary and include them. However, I’ll advise right up front that you’ll get a lot more sympathy if you write the diary sans attitude.
justice4all says
is that what you call insisting on basic human rights and dignity? That’s all we’re talking about. Reasonable access to public buildings. Not special rights. Access, something most of us take for granted every day.
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p>Is this a progressive value, or just a personal one?
christopher says
You usually do fine; billxi is another story. There’s a big difference between “We need to fix this because it’s not right.” and “You all don’t care about poor us. You’re evil an think we’re scum.” By all means keep speaking up, but as they say, it’s easier to catch flies with honey than with vinegar.
justice4all says
isn’t anything I have ever aspired to. There is the aforementioned “fierce urgency of now” that I understand completely…which is why I get the anger, the profanity, and the pain. You can’t blame people for running out of patience and politeness. It’s hard to ignore the hunger when you’re the one that’s hungry.
billxi says
Was paid for by Medicare. You don’t acquire these things by playing.
sabutai says
If you haven’t noticed that billxi recently discovered that being disabled was his favorite club to beat Democrats with. It’s his favorite way to play political victim and righteous crusader against the eeeeeeevi libruls; you’ve been lucky enough to miss one of the most poisonous developments on this site.
justice4all says
so little time, given the special groups that we tend to cultivate. 🙂
regularjoe says
I have been voting since 1976 and have never belonged to any party. I was merely making a lame joke about someone audacious enough to say that the Republicans are inclusive.
christopher says
So long as our laws allow anyone to run I’m not sure what else can be done. All we can do is vote for the ones whom we feel will best represent us and let the chips fall where they may.
shillelaghlaw says
A three-way race between Baker, Cahill, and Patrick, favors Patrick. Christy making it a four-way race all but guarantees Patrick’s re-election.
As it stands right now, no matter how angry the voting public is at Patrick, he brings a base of 35% to 40% by default. Almost automatically he gets 10% from the GLBT community, at least 10% from minorities, and another 20% from organized labor, public employees, and yellow-dog Democrats such as myself. (And yes, there will be specific incidences where the generalization doesn’t hold up, such as a GLBT person upset with Casino gambling, or a public employee angry about being forced into the GIC, but this is a broad analysis.)
So in order for a challenger to win, he- or an as yet unnamed she- needs 40% plus one to win.
There are only so-many anti-Deval votes out there, so simply stated, “Big Dig Charlie” Baker or Tim Cahill needs to get at least 67% of the anti-Deval vote to win. Throw Christy Mihos into the mix as an unenrolled, and it’s almost impossible that any one of those three get a plurality over the governor.
So run Christy, run!
ryepower12 says
Christy Mihos could be reading this ;p
striker57 says
Leave to the Repubs to have only 2 real statewide contenders and burn them both in the Gov. Primary.
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p>Wake up boys and girls – there will be an open seat for the Treasurer’s race. If you want to rebuild the MAGOP drop into the Treasurer’s race Christy.
peter-porcupine says
I beggged him to run for Auditor three years ago, but he wants to be Governor. Not another Constitutional office, not Congress, not Legislature, not nuthin.
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p>As he says, he wants to be Governor as he wants to stay here in MA, and he doesn’t regard the job as a stepping stone to another office. (Ahem!…to both parties…)
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p>Eb3 – He’s a registered Republican. He’s always been active in the GOP, and he wants to be a Republican governor.
yellow-dog says
Christy wants to be governor because he thinks that’s where the action is. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been paying attention.
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p>A typical dilettante, he doesn’t realize that the Massachusetts governor is not a CEO, and the legislature doesn’t spend the day using a ten-key punch. They would walk right over him like they did to Cellucci, Romney, and (do now to) Patrick.
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p>It might be fun to have a Republican to kick around for a while; I’m getting sick of having to tiptoe and mince words about Patrick. And with a Republican, you’d know he was out to bust your union and screw with your insurance (some communities already do well with regional cooperatives, thank you). With Deval, you never really know.
billxi says
We’re just going to have to elect some non-democrats to bust up the club.
As for unions: some unions NEED to be busted! Example: does the Boston Fire Department really believe that loaded firefighters dying is a negotiating chip? As a union person myself, I agree that unions are necessary to a point. Lay off another couple of state employees, Deval’s friend needs a job.