Editors note: Please take a few moments to read this excellent profile of Downing in the Berkshire Eagle. Definitely worth your time. I added the video below to this post. – CB
Ben Downing is running for Governor on a platform very similar to what I laid out on Saturday as what we want from our best nominee. Taking the fight directly to Baker on his lack of leadership to move the state forward. He’s great at keeping us stuck in place, not so great at moving us forward. Downing is a former state senator from Western MA, currently based in East Boston. He was interviewed on NBC Boston. I asked a friend who is a supporter of his if Ben has the cajones to take the fight to Baker directly and if he can appeal to independents. Those are my two litmus tests.
Looks promising to me. I do recall meeting him at one of two state conventions and he’s got a good delivery.
I read the piece linked in the thread-starter. I like what I see, and I wonder about what I don’t see. I find the cited piece long on horse-race observations and short on specifics of what he actually proposed to do differently.
He mentions wealth gaps between towns as an issue he wants to address — I see no mention of what he proposes as Governor. Similarly, he mentions public transportation and decries our lack of investment — I want to know what he will do differently than, for example, Deval Patrick.
I want more than “hope and change”. Governing “liberal” Massachusetts presents tough challenges for any Democrat — the difficult political landscape is one reason why so little has changed in Massachusetts governance since the Michael Dukakis administration.
I remain eager to embrace a candidate who I believe can actually accomplish real progress on the most important challenges that face Massachusetts.
I remain to be convinced that Ben Downing is that candidate.