"FWIW, I'd never vote for a guy who's got people fleeing his state. MA could lose one or two House seats next census. There's a reason for that. Romney's part of it."
Massachussetts has seen population stabilizing and even growing over the last two years (something that hasn't happened in nearly a decade). Again, absolutely NONE of these things can be pinned on Romney. And fleeing his state? The only reason Patrick one is because Romney has done such an excellent job with the state. When things are going poorly in various (economically and fiscally mainly), Republicans have a shot at the Massachussetts mansion. Because people rightly realize that the wildly Democratic legislature is at fall for most of the difficulties and are willing to take a chance on a Republican. But when things are going well, which they certainly are here in Mass- unemployment has dropped by nearly 1.5% since Romney took office, we have a billion dollar surplus and have had surpluses of above 500 million for every year of his governorship, education standards are improving from their already relatively lofty levels, and taxes are fairly low- everyone votes their natural inclinations (which here, is pure blue) because they've forgotten what disasters Democratic governors and Democratic legislatures are. Could Mitt have won against Deval? Maybe. He would have picked up 10% at least on Healey's total. But with everything purring economically, people would have looked at things in his record that weren't relevant in 2002. Like for instance the fact that he's, bar none, the most conservative Governor in Massachussetts in half a century. Even all his charisma might not have been enough to overcome that. And what does anyone gain from another losing, and therefore damaged goods, Republican incumbent governor? Especially one with all the qualities necessary to be an excellent president. Absolutely nothing is what.
As of 2005, Massachusetts has an estimated population of 6,398,743, which is a decrease of 8,639, or 0.1%, from the prior year and an increase of 49,638, or 0.8%, since the year 2000.