Baker’s going out on top
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker has once again climbed to the top of the governor popularity poll, according to a newnationwide poll released Tuesday by Morning Consult.
Some 74% of the state’s registered voters say they approve of the two-term Republican, who’s not seeking a third term in office. Only 20% of voters disapprove of Baker, according to a survey spanning July 1 through Sept. 30.
Baker isn’t the only Republican state Ceowith high approval ratings.
Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, another Republican, had the second highest approval rating,
73%, followed by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, also a Republican, at 70%.
Like Baker, Hogan operates in a deep-blue state. Unlike Baker, he appears to have higher political aspirations. Rumors of him weighing a possible presidential run have been circulating lately.
Republicans also swept the top three spots amongnew England governors.
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu came in third at 59%, followed by Democrats Ned Lamont of Connecticut (58%), Janet Mills ofmaine (54%), and Dan Mckee of Rhode Island (47%).
Another Democratic governor, Kate Brown of Oregon, had the dubious distinction of being voted the least likable by her constituents, registering a meager 40% approval rating.
Baker announced in December that he and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito would not run for re-election, opting to focus instead on unfinished business in their remaining time in office.
News of Baker’s popularity must come as a revelation to Geoff Diehl, the Republicans’ Trump-acolyte candidate for governor.
In its inestimable wisdom, the state’s GOP hierarchy has lambasted Baker for not being its version of a Republican — a right-winger intolerant of dissenting views.
In a party that can’t muster more than 9% of the state’s registered voters, that hardly seems like a winning formula.
By contrast, Baker’s time in office offers a blueprint for effective governance.
As governor from a decidedly minority party, Baker has demonstrated how to get things done in spite of that political disadvantage.
He did so by forging a collegial, working relationship with the overwhelmingly Democratic Legislature.
As a result of that pragmatic approach, much has been accomplished during his eight years in office.
If three out of four registered voters approve of Baker’s performance, what does that say about Diehl’s brand of Republicanism?
Even Attorney General Maura Healey, Diehl’s Democratic gubernatorial opponent, has nice things to say about our outgoing governor.
That’s probably why she’s heavily favored to take Baker’s place in January.
Another example of Baker’s pragmatismcan be seen with his response to President Joe Biden’s recent call on governors to pardon those convicted of statemarijuana offenses.
Rather than the laborious pardon process, Baker said expunging criminal records constitutes the simplest method to handle marijuana possession convictions.
“Anyone in Massachusetts who wants to expunge their record appropriately can do so now under existing state law,” Baker said Tuesday during comments to the press at a groundbreaking event for construction of a new police headquarters in Lawrence.
“The pardon process is a complicated one. It doesn’t happen overnight. I think at this point the fastest, easiest and quickest way for somebody to deal with an issue around simple possession would be to just pursue the expungement process. It’s why it’s there.”
Baker was alluding to legislation he signed into law in 2018 that allows individuals once prosecuted for cannabis-related conduct to erase their records.
Maura Healey, in a statement to the Boston Globe, said she would accept the president’s request, though her campaign did not elaborate if former defendants will need to apply for a pardon.
According to previous reporting by Masslive, Diehl, Healey’s Republican opponent, called Biden’s request “the latest in a series of outrageous moves … to eliminate consequences for wrongful actions.”
We assume he was unaware of that Massachusetts law that allows previously convicted individuals to wipe the slate clean.