Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

Pre-Caucus Straw Poll CLOSED

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Just for fun I have been doing straw polls in my travels in Democratic circles. I did one last November here on BMG and facebook. Since so many people are undecided and to make it interesting, I generally give everyone two votes.

Here are the rules. It’s pretty much the same as a few months ago. You get two votes for each question. You can use two votes for the same candidate or vote for two different candidates. I have a lot of people in some polls who want to use only one vote; that’s OK.

Governor: Joe Avellone, Don Berwick, Martha Coakley, Steve Grossman and Juliette Kayyem.

Lieutenant Governor: James Arena DeRosa, Leland Cheung, Jonathan Edwards, Steve Kerrigan and Mike Lake.

Attorney General: Maura Healey, Hank Naughton and Warren Tolman.

Treasurer: Tom Conroy, Barry Finegold, Deb Goldberg.

You can post on my facebook page, e-mail me off-line (Katedonaghue AT aol DOT com) or post your response right here. One thing different than my previous online poll, I won’t post individual responses. I will say that in order to make it at least a little bit meaningful, you do have to send me the results.

UPDATE: Please specify if possible whether you are using both your votes or only one of them. Unless otherwise specified a “lean” is one vote. If only one candidate is named then I will take it as tow votes unless the writer says differently. But I’d rather people be specific.

UPDATE 2: We have 99 people who have voted in this race! Vote now!!!!

UPDATE 3: Results here.

I’ll summarize the results on Monday. взять займ без проверок и процентов

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Comments

  1. Governor: Grossman and Kayyem.
    LG: Edwards and Cheung
    AG: Healey and Naughton
    Treasurer: Conroy and Goldberg

  2. Governor – Grossman
    LG – Lake
    AG – Tolman
    TRG – Finegold

    As a DSC member I’m automatically a delegate.

  3. Mayor Lisa Wong of Fitchburg. I wrote a diary about her on BMG. I hope you accept a write-in vote.

    There really should be a grass roots effort here on BMG and within the party apparatus to find a more palatable candidate than the ones in the existing field. Deval even said a couple weeks ago he is disappointed there is no minority candidate running for governor. Lisa has all the credentials to be governor and should be urged to run. Otherwise, I plan to vote for Charlie Baker.

  5. I haven’t really thought about LG; I lean Arena-DeRosa, but would consider the others.

    On LG, I am heavily persuadable. Gun to my head, I’d say Tolman, but Dot Gay damaged his brand (with me anyway) when they ran for … whatever the hell that was. Sorry Warren — if you can explain that one away, I’d probably vote for you. I have nothing against Maura Healey, but I don’t want her losing to a GOPer. Same with Naughton.

      • She had a piece of lit accusing him of being a bagman for a large local employer on some legislation. He responded to the piece, but in an unsatisfactory way.

        As I recall, it was hard-hitting but seemed accurate. He still won that race pretty handily, not that it mattered in the end.

      • Former Mayor of Somerville, and I think she may have been a Governor’s Councilor, but I’m not sure.

  6. Gov: Don Berwick, Don Berwick
    Lt. Gov: No opinion
    AG: Warren Tolman
    Treasurer: No opinion

    When I write “No opinion”, I mean that I defer the choice to those more aware of the candidates than me.

  7. Gov – Berwick (intelligence and experience)
    LG – Cheung or Lake (least likely position to stimulate any energy on my part.) Both are bright and progressive
    AG – Tolman
    Treasurer – Conroy (superior skills, experience and vision)

    Not a very diverse slate……….

  8. Coakley, Kerrigan, Healey and Finegold, but I’m just a leaner for the down-ticket offices and could change my mind as I learn more about the candidates.

  13. Gov: Joe Avellone

    Lt. Gov: Jonathan Edwards (Not to be confused with the author of “Sinners in the Hands of angry God,” this Edwards is the only candidate with the necessary experience in municipal government that I’d like to see.)

    AG: Hank Naughton

    Tres: Tom Conway

  14. I assume Bump is running unopposed for Auditor nomination, right?

    Oddly, hers was the only non-robo call I’ve received from any of the candidates. She personally left me a voice mail.

    • I have gotten a couple of live calls (not from Bump, and yes she is unopposed), but maybe because I’m a DSC member.

  17. Gov: Grossman (he’s won statewide office before, and he’s used the power of the treasurer in a progressive way, supporting local banks more than the multinationals, supporting diverse slates when voting for Boards of Directors)

    Lt Gov.: Leland Cheung–progressive and an active campaigner

    AG: Tolman!
    Treasurer: Feingold.

    • I think Grossman is a solid progressive, ally of labor, proven statewide winner, and our most electable candidate. Great reasons for the pick. I want Berwick, his passion and his ideals to make a big splash in the race but I am more confident in Grossmans ability to win and to govern.

      Cheungs’ gotta explain his Republican past and why he wants in this race. I prefer Mike Lake for his perspective, experience, record and the people behind him.

      And totally agree on Tolman. Curious why Feingold?

      • …until it was brought up recently here, of Cheung’s Republican past. I know him to be a solid progressive so I’d mostly be just curious.

      • He was raised Republican. His father was an immigrant who hated authoritarianism, and the anti-government rhetoric of the Republicans appealed to his father (this pretty common–many of the immigrants I’ve met from countries dominated by communists had similar sympathies). Once Leland Cheung started to meet more of the Republican activists, the party leaders, etc., he began to realize the Republicans push policies that would put American immigrants like his father at a disadvantage. I personally have long believed that progressive Democratic values win the battle of ideas when you sit down and compare them with conservative Republican values. Leland made that rational, humane choice and became a Democrat.

        As for Feingold, I heard him tell the story of how he narrowly won his State Rep race with 8 votes, and then Gov. Cellucci pressured him to vote FOR the death penalty. Feingold voted no, and the death penalty did not come back to Massachusetts.

        • He tells it as an example of how his constituents have come to respect his votes of conscience even when they disagree.

        • …but he is the go to guy for the charter school industry in MA, which I assumed would raise a red flag for you.

              • The state is close to approving a charter school for Andover. It’s called “STEAM” for STEM + Art. 450 high school students, 350 from Andover. The effort is being led by a current Andover SC member. There is a high-powered group of technology people behind it.

                Andover’s standardized test scores are already plummeting, taking 350 of the best kids out of the mix will probably blow its ranking completely to hell, not to mention the loss of the Chap. 70 money.

                Of course Finegold won’t mind. His kids attend the very very expensive Pike School in town ($22K for first grade, and it goes up from there).

  21. 2 VOTES

    LG – LAKE

    Fred Rich LaRiccia
    (I am proud to volunteer as Mike’s Senior Advisor)

    • Gov – Berwick X 2
      Lt Gov – undecided
      AG – Maura Healy X 2
      Treas – Finegold, Goldberg

  22. Gov – truly torn – a lot of talent, but no one is head and shoulders above other IMHO
    Lt Gov – Cheung
    AG – Maura Healy + Tolman
    Tre – write-in Mike Ross

    Love seeing everyone’s answers thus far!

  23. Governor – Coakley or Grossman. I want someone who knows the difference between a town and a city.
    Lt. Governor – Lake. After four or eight years in office, we can then name a pond for the top of the ticket and both members of the team can share the honor.
    AG – Probably Tolman, maybe Maura.
    Treasurer – Conroy. Under no circumstances Finegold. No way.

      • Finegold is cosponsoring mean-spirited legislation to essentially undo the recent SJC decision to not allow life without parole for juveniles. Does this by requiring them to serve at least 35 years. I feel that this should be decided on a case by case basis. I oppose mandatory minimums under all circumstances.

        The SJC decision was well thought out and long overdue, prompted no doubt by the U.S. Supreme Court decision that disallowed legislated mandatory sentencing of juveniles to life without parole.

        I applaud your support for Conroy. He is by far the most qualified and most progressive candidate for Treasurer.

        • …that can’t just be changed by legislation. Sounds like he’s trying to put something in place that will pass muster to replace the nullified legislation. It also sounds like he is giving that option rather than making it a minimum.

          • I don’t think so, actually. My understanding is that, when a juvenile is convicted of first-degree murder, this legislation would replace a sentence of life without parole (which the SJC just found unconstitutional) with a life sentence with the possibility of parole after 35 years served. So it is a 35-year minimum sentence.

      • Finegold is using the tragic (but media attention-getting) murder of teacher Colleen Ritzer to score coverage for himself by jumping on the death penalty for minors issue. The District Attorney in that county and legislators on the judiciary committee already had it covered, but he was looking for the headlines he knew would go statewide to help his flat-lined Treasurer candidacy. JMHO

        • …he is opposed to the death penalty and even took an early tough vote on that issue. Treasurers don’t have any role in death penalty questions so I’m not sure how that is relevant.

          • because of the utter immorality of anyone who would support the bill he is cosponsoring. I don’t want a mean-spirited tough-on-crime know-nothing in any public office.

            Rehabilitation has become a dirty word in our punishment-obsessed culture, due to politicians like Finegold.

            Children who have done horrible things should have a chance to be reformed, and not have to wait 35 years.

            • And would also point out that Sen. Finegold is barely 40 years old. Treasurer could be a springboard to higher offices and, given some aspects of his public record I find troubling, I’d just as soon nip it in the bud.

              • …we can make this about who would be the best Treasurer, or at least otherwise confine ourselves to this race? If you don’t want him in a different office let’s cross that bridge when we come to it. Contrary to the implications here, FWIW, he is on balance on the progressive side of the spectrum.

                • They (besides attorneys) lead his list of contributors.

                  Yes he has been a big fan of alternative energy, but also has been willing to cut them slack (like after power outages) when others were outraged.

        • But how does his record on charters matter as Treasurer? It seems this would be a bigger issue if he was running for Governor.

          • Never underestimate the power of holding the Commonwealth’s checkbook. The treasurer has oversight on school construction funds, and can use his position to influence fiscal policy and operations.

            Given that Rep. Finegold is the legislative conduit for the Mass. Charter School Association lobbyists, I can’t really trust his judgment when it comes to fulfilling his responsibilities as treasurer.

            • I wasn’t defending him, just trying to put objections to his position in perspective for the job he was running for. Of course we will have to ask the lottery litmus test these days apparently.

            • …how will Treasurer Finegold use this position to allocate resources for the expansion of charter schools in MA?

              Clearly the Treasurer’s position plays a critical “rubber hits the road” role in educational decisions.

  25. Gov. – Coakley and Kayyem …but honestly that could change between now and the convention as Berwick and Grossman also bring a lot to the table

    Lt. Gov. – 2 Votes for Lake. I like him personally and think he is the only one that can defeat Kerrigan. Kerrigan is not a bad guy but I think him paired up with either Coakley or Grossman could drag down the ticket a bit. That and my intuition tells me that Kerrigan is not that interested in the job but needs a place holder while he waits to run for Senate after Markey steps aside in 2020.

    AG – Healey and Toleman

    Treasurer – Goldberg and Conroy

  26. Gov. – Coakley and Berwick
    Lt. Gov. – 2 votes for Lake
    AG – 2 votes Toleman
    Treasurer – 2 votes Conroy

  27. I’m a delegate ex officio (chair) and will be voting as follows:

    Governor: Berwick, Berwick
    Lieutenant Governor: Mike Lake, Mike Lake
    Attorney General: Tolman
    Treasurer: Undecided

  29. Gov – Grossman/Kayyem
    LG – 2 for James Arena-DeRosa
    AG – 2 for Warren Tolman
    Treasurer – 2 for Deb Goldberg

  30. Gov: Berwick/Grossman
    LG: Cheung/Lake (would love if Ayanna got in)
    AG: Healy/Healy
    TR: Finegold/Conroy

  31. Governor: Two votes for Steve Grossman because he has earned those votes like no other candidate in the race.

    Lt. Governor: Two votes for Mike Lake because he is not only liberal, bright and an amazing person – he is as nice as anyone I have ever known in politics. Dukakis is right about him – he is a very special person.

    Attorney General: Two votes for Maura Healy. Before I met Healy, I was for Warren Tolman who I still think is a great candidate for any office, but the more I listened and talked to Maura Healy, the more I became convinced that her demonstrated competence in running a significant portion of the AG’s office and her outstanding record on civil rights made her a serious candidate for AG. What surprises me most about her is that she seems to be a natural in the political arena despite this being the first time she has run for office. Anyone that worries that her inexperience in politics could make her a weak candidate against the Republican nominee should relax. She exudes strength.

    Treasurer: At this point, I am torn between Tom Conroy and Deb Goldberg and, therefore, I cast one vote for each of them.

  33. Governor: Grossman and I can’t decide between Berwick and Kayyem
    Lt. Gov: both votes for Leland Cheung, due to his municipal government experience.
    AG: Tolman and Naughton
    Treas: Conroy and Goldberg.

    • Great. Thanks for voting both places. It’s much appreciated when people identify so that I don’t inadvertently double count. If you have voted in more than one place because you want to engage different voters, it is encouraged. That”s how we share out views. Appreciate the heads up that you sent in a vote on facebook as well.

  35. Gov. One for Martha Coakley and one for Don Berwick.
    Lt. Gov. Two enthusiastic votes for Mike Lake.
    Treasurer Two for Tom Conroy
    AG One for Maura Healey and One for Warren Tolman

  36. Governor: Martha Coakley (x2)

    Lieutenant Governor: Leland Cheung, Steve Kerrigan

    Attorney General: Maura Healey (x2).

    Treasurer: No clue…

  38. Gov: Kayyem or Coakley
    LtGov: Lake or Kerrigan
    AG: Healey or Tolman
    Tres: Finegold or Conroy

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