This excellent opinion piece by Somerville mayor Joe Curtatone reminded me that there had been some discussion on this site of Curtatone as a possible Democratic candidate for governor.
Until this week, I’d been thinking that Charlie Baker would likely weather the vaccine rollout crisis with his usual high approval rating intact, but now I’m not so sure. I think there’s an opening for a Democrat—but it will have to be the right Democrat for the current moment.
Massachusetts is certainly “bluer” than most of the country, but (as folks who frequent BMG certainly know) it’s not as progressive as it can seem when we’re snugly inside our own social media bubbles. Essex County, where NorthShoreGrandpa and I have lived for more than 15 years, has shifted a bit to the left—as is evident from changes in our own Beverly City Council, among other places—but overall it’s still pretty “moderate,” politically. And in my own social circles I know several thoughtful people who, in 2018, had no problem voting for Elizabeth Warren for Senate and Charlie Baker for governor.
In 2018, though I and all the Democrats I knew supported Jay Gonzalez for governor, I really didn’t run into anyone who was excited about his race, beyond the handful of people who are involved with party politics as such. In ’22, we need a Democratic candidate for governor who will spark excitement far beyond the party activists and will attract the broadest possible coalition of potential Democratic voters.
Could Joe Curtatone be that candidate? I genuinely don’t know—I’m asking. I would love to hear more of the pros and cons of this idea from those (SomervilleTom, I’m thinking of you, and I know there are others here) who have first-hand experience with his policies and governing style.
Heh. I’ve said before that I like Joe Curtatone and will enthusiastically support him should he choose to run.
I have heard the usual rumblings of discontent from each fringe. The crazies on the right think he’s a “socialist” because he hung a “Black Lives Matter” banner on the front of City Hall when that movement was first being born. They despise him for declaring Somerville a “sanctuary city” when the bigotry against immigrants was just getting started. The crazies on the left think he’s a “sellout” because they think he’s too close to developers benefiting from the explosive growth of the city.
I’ve heard nothing that really concerns me, and lots that I like. I love living here (my wife and I moved here in 2010 and bought our owner-occupied two-family in 2012).
Somerville is, contrary to some opinion based more on stereotype than reality, a mixed and diverse city. We have thriving ethnic communities and it is a pleasure to, for example, routinely hear Portuguese, Haitian, Spanish, Russian, and Alabaman spoken here in addition to plain English. We have exclusive neighborhoods and we have projects. We have student housing and we have upscale condo rentals. We have a fire department that is generally on-scene within 5 minutes of a call. We have a police department that is competent and is loved and respected by the entire community. My youngest son graduated from Somerville High School in 2012 after spending most of his life and public education in lily-white suburbs (Dunstable and Newburyport). He frequently credits his senior year at SHS (he moved in with us at Thanksgiving of his senior year) with opening his eyes to his white privilege and to greatly expanding his life experience.
All in all, Somerville is a marvelous place to live. I have to believe that Mayor Curtatone is responsible for at least some of that.
My bottom line is that I have every expectation that Joe Curtatone could make an enormously positive difference in the corner office and I’ll work hard to enable that if he chooses to run.
Alabaman is a language? 🙂
Heh. If you ever been to Alabama, you know exactly what I mean. 🙂
Sort of like visiting Edinburgh thinking that you’ll know the language. You won’t. 🙂
Thanks, Tom, for adding these specifics to my generally positive impression of Curtatone. I don’t know if he even plans to run, or who else ultimately will get into that race. So far, I’ve seen much of the attention going to Maura Healey, and though I like Healey as AG, I’m not yet convinced that she’s the one to beat Charlie.
As for the other likely options mentioned here, I don’t know enough about Ben Downing to have an opinion at this point. And the idea of Kennedy for governor simply doesn’t excite me—I could go on and on about the reasons but won’t get into that right now except to say that among other things, I tend to agree with you that “an executive-branch position like Mayor is more appropriate experience for a Governor.”
Uprated as a co-sign on your reservations for Healey and your admiration for Curtatone. He’s probably my favorite of the 3 mentioned so far. I think he and Downing would make for an interesting ticket.
I’m checking out Ben Downing while seeing who else might jump in, though there are a couple of others with zero name recognition who are exploring as well. I agree about Gonzalez. My personal opinion is we ended up with the least exciting of the three choices.
I might start a Draft Kennedy website or movement. I ultimately voted for Markey in that primary, but he’s the only candidate I can think of who appeals to moderates and blue collars and can immediately have the money and name recognition to beat Baker. I agree Baker is far more beatable than he was six months ago.
Can’t put my finger on why, but somehow Kennedy as Governor doesn’t get my juices flowing. Maybe I just see him as too much of the legislative persuasion.
The “Kennedy” moniker actually puts me off a bit.
I’m actually much happier with our current Senate delegation, and I fundamentally recoil at the famous-family meme. JFK, RJK, and Ted are historical figures who were celebrities in a different time, different culture, and different government.
Even if not Joe Curtatone, I think an executive-branch position like Mayor is more appropriate experience for a Governor (or President) than pretty much any legislative background.
Governors are rather more executives than legislators.
With his actions as mayor, Curtatone has positioned himself as the anti-Baker on COVID, which is not a bad place to be.
Well … Downing is actually already in. That counts for something. He’s great, and I’d be delighted if he were the candidate.
Downing, Healey, and Curtatone … that would be a genuinely strong field.
It’s early, but I’m impressed with Downing. He should come across as very appealing to independents and independents are the majority of voters in Massachusetts. Of course I have nothing against the others mentioned.
I’d be fine with any of them. I think out of the names Charley mentioned, Curtatone has the clearest record to contrast with Baker as Tom and Trickle Up pointed out. He could credibly say “Bakers nicer than Trump, but his record his just as bad on Covid. Compare to Somerville where the caseload is low and schools have reopened, etc”.
Now Somerville has gone pretty lefty hipster, but Curtatone got elected before that happened and has governed squarely in the middle of Somerville voters. Balancing newcomer progressives vs. old school Somerville blue collar moderates and newcomer immigrant communities.
Again my biggest question mark is if any of them can get the warchest and name recognition rapidly enough to take Baker on. Kennedy already has cash on hand from his senate and house races and name recognition. He’s a guy I can see Jim Connors defecting to if the vaccine rollout starts to impact the business climate. My only litmus test is if they can win.
Healey seems to be running for Senate. All her issues are national and that’s the profile she’s raising. She’d make an excellent Senator, I question whether her AG profile is sufficient to take on Baker and beat him in 22’. She’s the instant front runner for the nomination, but that’s a different beast than winning the general.
I’m not sure Kennedy’s war chest is going to do him much good. I seem to recall that when it was thought Marty Meehan might run for Governor we passed a law expressly prohibiting the use of money raised for federal races on state campaigns.
Yes, but I think he could find a way around it. I think he’s launching a leadership PAC and he could use that to spread his campaign wealth around and then bounce from rubbing that to start the governors campaign. He could rapidly raise the money and self fund if need be. We will need a big war chest to beat Baker.
Among the reasons Gonzalez lost was due to lack of funding and a media blackout because he couldn’t even buy an ad until the last few weeks. And it was a weird introduction ad, not a cogent attack against the incumbent. Like Tito Jackson, he spent went little money he had on a terrible communication strategy.
Kennedy has a name people know, a record people liked in his district (which Baker carried quite easily in 18’), and will be running against an increasingly beleaguered Republican instead of a progressive saint. He beat Markey in the kinds of communities that have drifted rightward in the last decade. He could beat Baker there too. I’ve outgrown voting with my heart, it’s time to vote with our heads.