Back on October 9th I posted about an RMG post that suggested Republicans would / should back John Connolly in the Boston Mayoral final:
Are Republicans Looking to put Connolly into the Mayor’s Office
Today’s Boston Globe story highlights the Republican fundraising for John Connolly and has Republican leaders like Jim Rappaport slamming Marty Walsh. In case you missed it:
http://www.boston.com/2013/10/26/gopforconnolly/Io0bK4FWjNqsEfLX4cjLDN/singlepage.html
His campaign has reaped support from those who worked in past Republican administrations on Beacon Hill, or who gave to the party’s 2010 nominee for governor, Charles D. Baker. He even picked up thousands in contributions from members of the board of the conservative Pioneer Institute, a think tank based on free market principles, individual liberty, and limited government.
Chris Egan has contributed to several Democrats in past years, but more reliably backs Republican candidates and causes. In 2012, he gave $10,000 to American Crossroads, the super PAC founded by President George W. Bush’s adviser Karl Rove. Egan did not return calls for comment.
While candidates raise money where they can and from friends regardless of party, John Connolly made an issues (as have the Globe, Herald and some on BMG) about Marty Walsh’s fundraising from Unions. How, they ask, can Walsh stand up to Unions who fund him? Never mind that the last two union issues that have hit the press in this campaign – the wildcat strike by Boston school bus drivers and the police patrolmem’s arbitration award – have seen Walsh take very public positions against the Unions involved. If you are beholding to those whose raise you money than John Connolly has some very interesting debts to settle should he win (the Pioneer Institute, the Romney Campaign).
As a side note, this from the Globe story reminds me that the Globe’s news coverage remains firmly planted in its editorial board:
To many Republicans, the division of support seems a logical outgrowth of the political duel now confronting Boston. While Connolly has championed the expansion of charter schools — a pet project of the Pioneer Institute — his opponent is best identified as a labor leader. Walsh, also a Democrat, headed the Boston Building Trades for years, only stepping down last spring to run for mayor.
Never mind that Walsh’s position is essentially the same as Connolly’s on charter schools (an omission in the Globe story) but don’t miss a chance to say Labor Leader (you know the bad guy representing workers) too.
When I posted about Marty Walsh’s progressive creds (pro-equal marriage, pro-choice) at least one BMGer accused me of being slimy because I didn’t say Connolly held those positions as well. Since Marty Walsh has actually taken votes in support of marriage equity and reproductive rights in the legislature and has a record voters can find on these issues, I do think that gives Marty the progressive edge over someone who is simply supportive. But I will echo that slimy comment when it comes to the Globe’s story content omission on charter schools.
I don’t share EB3’s dislike of John Connolly. I have supported him in his runs for City Councilor at large. He would be a fine mayor of Boston who would have different priorities than Walsh when it comes to economic development and the neighborhoods. Yet if Marty Walsh’s career as a union official and his sources of fundraising are fair game than so is John Connolly’s career as a corporate attorney and his Republican based fundraising.
I’m fascinated by the Boch family break between EB2 and EB3. 🙂
This just sounds like a 21st century version of The Vault.
I’m guessing it’s a reference to what the LaRouches often blame their losses on. I hope it’s sarcastic, or I’m misunderstanding.
I’m referring to The Boston Coordinating Committee, informally known as The Vault. It was a group of bankers, lawyers, and businessmen that heavily influenced city policy in 1950s and 1960s Boston. At times, they were almost a de facto shadow government.
I was thinking of something else. Every time a LaRouche candidate loses, he blames “the Vault” for keeping votes for his candidate down. So when I hear “the Vault” I think of a mythical group that losers blame for their own shortcomings.
If I were a banker or developer, for sure I’d want Connolly to win. He may not be a friend of such people, but he seems “reasonable”…unlike Walsh, who insists on thinking about working people.
The election is nonpartisan, and some Republican-leaning people who have supported Democrats before are supporting Connolly. What’s the issue?
if you’re a progressive Democrat who’s not into a Republican-light agenda of corporate education “reform,” “sticking it to the unions,” and a developer bonanza, Connolly’s not your guy.
Walsh has Golar-Richie and Arroyo, Connolly has…the Pioneer Institute.
I would vote for Walsh, but unless Pioneer has endorsed Connolly, you can’t say he “has” them because they agree on one thing.
Connolly is the preferred candidate of the “anyone but Walsh” Herald, the Globe editorial board, the Pioneer Institute, former state GOP chair Jim Rappaport, and Republican Ernie Boch, Jr., who raised $40,000 for him recently (EB3 and EB2 are not speaking as a result). He was out this weekend with Ed Flynn, who runs the Southie parade he’s citing in his push poll as evidence Walsh is anti-gay.
Walsh is the preferred candidate of labor, yes, but also of every elected official of color and every female elected official to endorse in this race, Bay Windows, Arlene Isaacson, Mike Capuano, etc., etc.
One group looks like the progressive movement, the other, um, doesn’t. That’s relevant.
One’s friends are relevant in politics. But you (usually) can’t elevate it to the level of an insult.
Was it good news or bad news that Colin Powell, hero or national disagrace depending on who you ask (and what day, sometimes), endorsed Barack Obama? Not so easy an answer.
There you had Powell endorsing the Democrat Obama because the GOP and its nominee had gone too far to the right.
Here you have Republicans endorsing Connolly because among these two candidates he’s closer to their worldview. Not saying he’s a Republican, but he’s closer. It’s like Republicans endorsing Cory Booker over Elizabeth Warren.
Maybe I’ll leave that right there.
My point was, Colin Powell could be spun as the DEFINITION of evil — not just a loyal soldier, but one who willingly lied to us to get us into war. Or, he’s a hero who served his country for decades. I don’t think it would have been OK if Hillary or John Edwards, in reaction to the endorsement, had hit us with Evil Powell. That would have been unfair to Obama.
Carville instead went after RICHARDSON. I might have mentioned this before, but I’m not ready for Hillary. But I digress …
It’s about policy. I don’t think this support taints Connolly because I think they’re evil. I think it indicates that these guys, whose policy preferences I oppose, find Connolly closer to their views.
Anyway, if Powell was in fact the “definition of evil,” his endorsement doesn’t taint Obama with the evil as much as begin to redeem Powell, given that the issue that propelled Obama to the nomination was his criticism of the same war that made Powell “evil.” Powell didn’t endorse Obama because Obama was for the Iraq War. Compared to his opponent, he was on “our” side of that issue. It didn’t taint John Lewis that George Wallace, regretting his part, decided to support him later.
good idea. I get lost when my friends start debating for debating’s sake around very fine points. Back to work.
Connolly and Walsh are both progressive Democrats. Perhaps some people who are more conservative aren’t as pro-Connolly as they are concerned that Walsh will not be able to bring the fiscal independence that’s necessary to manage the city’s finances well, and maintain the city’s bond rating.
Once again, we’re back with the idea that Marty Walsh can’t figure out a bond rating. These are the DFW kinds of comments that we’d be lambasting if they came in support of an actual Republican. They never should be made by anyone professing to be a progressive Democrat.
It’s a legitimate issue and one that any self professed liberal should care about because it impacts our ability to provide services economically. You don’t “figure out a bond rating.” It’s set by ratings companies based on credit quality. Part of managing credit quality is managing expenses and revenues. Connolly will do a better job managing the city’s revenues and expenses than Walsh, in my view, and it should be a key issue in the race. I don’t understand why progressives can’t bring up the city’s finances and bond rating. Menino (love him or hate him) has spent time and political capital making sure that the city balanced the needs of municipal workers and tax payers. I don’t think that progressive means ignoring fiscal issues, at all. Don’t be so angry, the Sox are going to win the World Series (we hope), and maybe, for your sake, next Wednesday Marty Walsh will be Mayor-Elect (but I hope not). Best wishes, /s/ Mr. Progressive.