Baker hints at third term
Gov. Charlie Baker appears to be leaving his options for a third term open, saying there’s still “plenty to do” in Massachusetts after the coronavirus pandemic ends.
“I really believe in the power and the importance of state and local government and we have a ton of work to do,” the Republican governor said during a Friday morning appearance on WBUR’S “Morning Edition.” “Even once we get past the pandemic … there’s plenty to do here.”
It’s the most direct answer Baker has given yet on the question of whether he’ll run for re-election in 2022.
It comes as potential Democratic candidates jockey for front-runner status and questions emerge over whether Baker can keep his reputation as the Teflon governor amid a coronavirus vaccine rollout that has drawn widespread criticism.
Yet, the state has now hit 1 million people fully vaccinated — a major milestone the governor was quick to draw attention to. He also says Massachusetts is a leader in administering first doses among states with more than 5 million people.
But the perennially popular governor could face an uphill battle should he run for a third term. While a MASSINC Polling Group survey from February showed Baker’s approval rating holding steady over 70%, a Umass Amherst/ WCVB poll out this week showed the governor’s approval rating has sunk during the pandemic, falling to 52% in the beginning of March from 78% in August.
At the same time, the percentage of those disapproving of Baker’s work as the state’s top executive jumped to 39% from 20% in August.
Recent polling from conservative watchdog group Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance also showed the majority of both Democrats and Republicans at least “somewhat” disapprove of how Baker’s handled the state’s coronavirus vaccine rollout.
Analysts say it could be a sign the rocky vaccine rollout is taking a toll. But Baker still proved more popular than the Legislature in the Umass poll, and was leading Democrats — including the sole declared candidate, Ben Downing, a former state senator, and state Attorney General Maura Healey, who continues to wave off questions she’s mulling a bid — in hypothetical matchups.
“Political memories are short,” Umass Lowell pollster John Cluverius told the Herald this week, adding that if Baker’s “able to manage the state into a herd immunity and economic recovery” then all could be “forgiven” by the time the 2022 election rolls around.
Official deadlines are still many months away, but the governor’s fundraising tells a story of a candidate late out of the gate.
Baker continues to lag behind other potential contenders, with just $584,276 in his campaign coffers, campaign finance data show.
Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito continues to out-raise her boss in monthly fundraising — including bringing in $69,192 in February alone — and is now sitting on a $2 million war chest. By contrast, Baker raised $36,016 last month.
Only Healey bests Polito’s bottom line. The Democratic attorney general has $2,945,124 in cash on hand and raised $28,137 in February.
Downing raised $116,722 in the opening weeks of his gubernatorial bid — exceeding the February hauls of all of his potential rivals in the race.
Harvard University political science professor Danielle Allen raised $69,548 in February and has $171,370 in cash on hand. Allen is exploring a bid for the Democratic nomination.
Scott Khourie, a Quincy Democrat, has shown nothing but zeros on fundraising reports since December.
His campaign lists just $20 in cash on hand — a loan from the candidate.