LINDSTROM’S BETTER FOR BAKER
Dems can’t tie them to Trump White House
Moderate Bay State Republicans are drooling at the prospect of GOP operative Beth Lindstrom’s entrance into the 2018 race against U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren — and not just unemployed Mitt Romney and Scott Brown campaign staffers.
The Groton resident would bring a powerhouse fundraising team and — most importantly — could protect Gov. Charlie Baker from sharing a statewide ticket with President Trump-backer Rep. Geoff Diehl (R-Whitman).
“I think Charlie has done plenty to distance himself from Trump, but having a moderate like Beth Lindstrom as the candidate against Warren as opposed to a major Trump supporter like Diehl gives him some additional distance,” said Rob Gray, a Republican consultant who served on Baker’s first gubernatorial campaign.
The deadly clash between white nationalists and counterprotesters in Charlottesville, Va., over the weekend only highlighted the potential danger of Diehl, who served as Trump’s Massachusetts presidential campaign co-chairman.
Though Diehl, Baker and Trump himself have condemned the hatred and violence, Baker opponents could easily seize on such events to try to tie the governor to Trump, whose opponents are tying him to the white supremacists. If successful, the move could scare off Baker’s muchneeded independent supporters.
“No Republican candidate in a blue state wants to have Trump injected into their political news cycle on a daily basis, and Diehl creates a larger chance of that happening in Massachusetts,” said Gray.
Democrats have already set their sights on a Free Speech Rally planned for Boston Common Saturday — claiming it will be another hate-fest despite protests from the organizer. The event would bring the issue straight to Baker’s backyard.
Then there is the inevitable awkward Republican rally as Baker and Diehl head toward the frenzied general election in 2018 — that could eclipse Baker’s bizarre 2010 campaign event with the scandal-plagued former congressional candidate Jeff Perry.
Lindstrom also brings some serious fundraising firepower onto the ticket, not that Baker is hurting in that department. Lindstrom, a former director of the Massachusetts Republican Party, coordinated Scott Brown’s fundraising during his underdog special Senate election victory.
Whether Lindstrom, whose name recognition remains low, would be able to beat Diehl in a primary remains to be seen.
But there’s no doubt who Baker would rather share the ticket with.
“If you’re a well-positioned moderate governor most likely headed for re-election, you’d prefer to not have any wild-card moments created by other candidates on the ticket,” said Gray. “Lindstrom would likely avoid that.”