Memo to state Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz.
State senators don’t get elected governor in Massachusetts. It simply doesn’t occur. Neither do Senate Presidents. The leap from the state Senate to the governor’s workplace is simply too nice.
The final one to strive was Senate President Tom Birmingham again in 2002. He completed third within the Democrat major, by no means to be heard from once more. Others have tried and in addition failed.
The solely means it has been carried out is for a state senator, just like the late Gov. Paul Cellucci, is to first get elected lieutenant governor. Cellucci grew to become appearing governor when Gov. Bill Weld resigned in 1997 after which was elected governor in 1998.
Sometimes state senators operating for governor are so disrespected they don’t even get the courtesy of a debate with their opponent.
Just witness the way in which Attorney General Maura Healey, 50, blew off Chang-Diaz, 44, when the seven-term senator from Boston challenged Healey to a few tv debates previous to the June Democratic Party conference.
Healey’s response was in essence “Don’t call me, I’ll call you.”
It is at that conference the place Democrat delegates will endorse one of many two Democrats operating for governor, certainly one of whom may succeed outgoing Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, who is just not in search of re-election.
Healey, the two-term legal professional common, is favored to win the endorsement. In order to problem Healey within the Democrat major, Chang-Diaz, the extra progressive of the 2, should win 15 p.c of the delegate vote to look on the September major poll.
The winner will face both Republican Geoff Diehl or Chris Doughty in November.
While Healey did conform to debate Chang-Diaz, her phrases have been that two debates be held after the conference when Chang-Diaz could not nonetheless be a candidate if she fails to win the required 15 p.c. Talk about getting dissed.
Healey is forward and calling the pictures. Having run statewide twice earlier than, she has a marketing campaign group, is well-known, and already has $5 million in marketing campaign funds.
Chang-Diaz has by no means run outdoors of Boston, is just not well-known and has lower than $400,000 in marketing campaign funds available.
Back within the day, when occasion bosses ran the conference, a candidate like Chang-Diaz may work out a deal to step apart and search to run as Healey’s operating mate.
Those days are gone. Changes within the guidelines make such offers not possible, not that Change-Diaz would have gone for it within the first place.
It additionally would have been resented by the 5 Democrats within the race for the Democrat nomination for lieutenant governor, particularly candidates like state Sen. Eric Lesser of East Longmeadow and Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll. Both are thought of the frontrunners within the race.
Lesser, elected to the senate in 2014, and who previous to that labored within the Obama White House, and 5 time period Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll, who has mayoral connections, look like properly positioned to prevail.
Since 5 candidates are comparatively unknown, cash for promoting might be extraordinarily essential within the major.
Lesser has solid forward of all of the candidates in elevating marketing campaign cash. So far, he has raised over $1 million in marketing campaign funds. This compares to the $113,000 Driscoll has raised.
While Driscoll has been outraised by three of the opposite lieutenant governor candidates, she did win the endorsement of House Speaker Ron Mariano final week, which ought to depend for one thing when elevating cash.
Mariano has additionally endorsed Healey and former Boston mayoral candidate Andrea Campbell, who’s operating for legal professional common
State Sen. Adam Hinds of Pittsfield, a two-term member of the Senate, has raised $315,000 in his bid to grow to be lieutenant governor.
The different two candidates, Babson College professor Bret Bero and state Rep. Tami Gouveia, have reported elevating $246,000 and $86,000 up to now, respectively.
Neither Healey nor Chang-Diaz have expressed assist or talked about any of the lieutenant governor candidates they may very well be operating with come November and can let the first voters determine for them.
So proper now, it’s the cash that’s doing the speaking. No memo wanted.
Peter Lucas is a veteran Massachusetts political reporter and columnist.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”