After several months of speculation and increasing attacks on Governor Deval Patrick, State Treasurer Tim Cahill has left the Democratic Party and is now registered as Unenrolled (the Massachusetts equivalent of Independent). This has certainly increase the speculation that Cahill will run for Governor as an independent.
The Republican candidates, for the moment, appear to be Charlie Baker (a healthcare insurance executive and former cabinet member under Governor Bill Weld), and Christy Mihos (a businessman who ran for Governor as an independent in 2006 and garnered 6% of the vote). Mihos has announced, Baker hasn't.
Cahill and Patrick have been increasingly at odds. As the Massachusetts economy suffers through the recession and its budget woes increased, tensions mounted between the two, especially around the state's healthcare reform implementation (which even Mitt Romney supported), with Cahill calling the program a luxury. Special deals and abuses in the state pension system (especially for legislators and elected officials).
The two strongly differed over the budget gap, with Cahill calling for more cuts while Patrick and the legislature worked out a balanced budget that included an increase in the state sales tax to 6.25%. Finally, Cahill and Patrick differ over potential new gambling revenues from legalizing slot machines and/or casinos.
I was, and remain, a Patrick supporter. I was also a Cahill supporter in 2006. I was saddened as this relationship broke down, its not really what the state needs at the moment. Everyone on the same page would be nice.
Patrick has been a bit of a disappointment, mostly of high expectations and promises. He did help defeat attempts to overturn the same sex marriage decision, helped repeal the silly 1913 law Mitt pulled out to ban out-of-state same sex couples from marrying, stem cell research financing, ethics reform, tentative steps on green energy, and other issues. He has not made as much headway against entrenched legislative leadership (the downside of a one party state, even a Democratic one) on some issues as many would have liked.
Cahill has a boatload of money ($3 Million on hand) he can bring to bear on this race, but how much he could continue to raise as a lame duck Treasurer running for Governor isn't clear. And, Christy Mihos had a boatload of money and great name recognition as a Turnpike Authority maverick during the Big Dig funding fiasco (which we're still paying for, or not as the case may be). He didn't get a lot of votes for that money.
Cahill's move eliminates a primary challenge for Patrick. It probably also splits the anti-tax anti-incumbent vote in the general.
In other news, just breaking, former DNC Chair Steve Grossman (a wealthy businessman and prodigious fundraiser) has announced his candidacy to succeed Cahill as State Treasurer.
Should be an interesting year.
Update:
Cahill's side of the story and more Treasurer candidates are emerging:
Per today's Boston Globe:
The names of several other potential candidates surfaced yesterday, including state Senator Mark C. Montigny, Democrat of New Bedford; state Representative Thomas P. Conroy, Democrat of Wayland; Plymouth County Treasurer Thomas J. O’Brien; and Norfolk County Sheriff Michael G. Bellotti. All confirmed in interviews that they are considering a run.
James E. Rooney, executive director of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority; Suzanne Bump, Patrick’s secretary of labor and workforce development, Norfolk County Treasurer Joseph A. Connolly; and Neil M. M. Morrison, a former first deputy treasurer, were also said to be weighing a run.
I live in Norfolk County, so I have met, briefly, Bellotti and Connolly. With Massachusetts' weak/no county government system I am not sure how much being a county official helps. Though Cahill was the Norfolk County Treasurer before moving up to the state job. Don't now much about the rest.
Same article has Cahill interview explaining his move.