Posted on 07/06/2009 8:25:10 PM PDT by LdSentinal
State Treasurer Tim Cahill this week will change his political party designation from Democrat to unenrolled, the first step in mounting an independent challenge to Democratic governor Deval Patrick in the 2010 general election, two advisers said today.
Cahill, a lifelong Democrat who has served as treasurer since 2003, would not comment on his plans, but campaign advisers said he will make the switch at Quincy City Hall sometime this week.
They said the move doesn't necessarily mean he will run against the sitting governor; he has told them he will either campaign for governor or treasurer as an independent candidate.
Cahill will be the first incumbent officeholder in memory to drop his party affiliation, according to state election officials. They could recall no instance when an independent candidate won statewide office in Massachusetts. H. Ross Perot, who ran as an independent candidate for president in 1992, garnered more than 20 percent of the vote, which election officials believe was the largest percentage won in Massachusetts by an independent in recent years.
Cahill, a fiscal conservative, has told supporters he feels estranged from the Massachusetts Democratic party, whose tax and spend philosophy, he says, is more liberal than his own. He also said that before being elected the state's Democratic treasurer, he exercised a great deal of freedom as a Quincy city councilor running without party affiliation in municipal elections.
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
1 - It splits the Democratic vote into 2, allowing the GOP to win.
2 - The anti-Deval Patrick vote is split into 2, allowing Patrick to win again.
What will this lead to?
Regardless of party affiliation, a politician should not be allowed to switch parties during their current term. They should have to finish their term or resign before changing parties.
I moved from Townsend almost 3 years ago. Most of the state, outside of Boston and it’s suburbs, is surprisingly conservative. I truly believe, it’s the effect of letting liberal students at Harvard, MIT, etc vote that keeps MA firmly Democratic.
Do the Republicans even have a candidate to run against devil Patrick, or do they just have McCain/Steeles to praise him?
However, Mihos is a RINO and I'm guessing Baker is a RINO as well.
Survey of 500 Likely Voters
June 24, 2009
Election 2010: Massachusettes Governor
Christy Mihos (R) - 41%
Deval Patrick (D) - 40%
Some other candidate - 10%
Not sure - 9%
Charlie Baker (R) - 36%
Deval Patrick (D) - 41%
Some other candidate - 12%
Not sure
I didn’t say it’s illegal did I? I said SHOULDN’T. It’s a matter of ethics, in my opinion (am I allowed to express an opinion ... First Admendment stuff). If you were elected my a majority of a certain party and then switch, you’re betraying those who elected you, in my opinion. So, in my opinion, you SHOULDN’T be allowed to switch parties mid-term. Of course, that’s just my opinion.
Well, it takes a majority of ALL voters, to win, or at least a plurality.
The ability to switch party affiliation can actually keep a party in line, sometimes.
There was a time when large numbers of Democrat officials switched to the Republican Party, not long ago.
Geez, I feel schooled and somewhat chastised for having expressed an opinion. I’ll be more careful next time. Or at least, run it by you first.
I don’t know anything about Tim Cahill; I don’t pay that much attention to Commonwealth Politics. Our local state rep is Republican, but she’s not too much of a RINO, like most MA Repubs. She’s very good with Constituent services, though, so that’s why she keeps getting elected in this area even with the abundance of Democrat voters.
Ok, I’ll lighten up. Posting online while trying to study Statistics can make you surley. Virtual handshake?
you betcha
Do I get a wink with that you betcha?
What do we call him, a IINO
Sorry, too many Sarah Palin thread going on today. (I’m a supporter, by the way. so if you’re not, we’ll agree to disagree)
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