Source: Politics<\/p>\n
BOSTON \u2014 Republican Gov. Charlie Baker won\u2019t seek reelection next year, he announced Wednesday, in a move that surprised some in the state\u2019s political class and will ripple down the 2022 ballot in Massachusetts.<\/p>\n
And, in perhaps an even more shocking move, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito won’t run for governor in his place.<\/p>\n
“After several months of discussion with our families, we have decided not to seek reelection in 2022,” Baker and Polito said in a statement sent to friends and colleagues. “This was an extremely difficult decision for us. We love the work, and we especially respect and admire the people of this wonderful Commonwealth. Serving as Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts has been the most challenging and fulfilling jobs we\u2019ve ever had. We will forever be grateful to the people of this state for giving us this great honor.”<\/p>\n
One of the most popular governors in the country, Baker was the GOP\u2019s best hope of holding onto the governor\u2019s office in a solidly blue state.<\/p>\n
But Baker\u2019s been increasingly at odds with his own party. And he faced significant political headwinds if he chose to run for a third term, including a conservative primary challenger backed by former President Donald Trump and attacks from across the political spectrum on his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and climate change.<\/p>\n
Those close to Baker had recently described a two-term governor torn over whether to seek what in Massachusetts would be an unprecedented third consecutive term. He kept operatives, donors and observers guessing late into the year even as he ramped up fundraising throughout the fall after pausing those activities for most of the pandemic.<\/p>\n
Baker said in a Boston-area radio interview<\/a> earlier this week his calculus wasn\u2019t about \u201ccan I win or not\u201d but whether he has \u201cthe will, the desire and the agenda that I believe would be in the state\u2019s best interest, and the energy and commitment to follow through and deliver on it.\u201d<\/p>\n But the math didn\u2019t look so good for a governor who\u2019s claimed to be a \u201cdata guy.\u201d<\/p>\n The stratospheric approval ratings Baker enjoyed throughout most of his seven years in office took a dip during Covid-19, and he faced some of the worst criticism of his gubernatorial career over the state\u2019s initially rocky vaccine rollout. One recent survey showed Baker with higher job approval ratings among Democrats and independents than among members of his own party. Other recent surveys from Democrat-aligned firms showed him trailing Trump-endorsed former state Rep. Geoff Diehl in a Republican primary and suggested the incumbent had a better path forward as an independent rather than continuing with his own party \u2014 though Baker repeatedly rejected the idea he\u2019d desert his party.<\/p>\n He said he blanked his ballot for president in 2016 and 2020 so as not to vote for Trump, and emerged as a persistent critic of the president\u2019s handling of the pandemic. Baker also supported Trump\u2019s second impeachment and rejected the former president\u2019s false claims that the 2020 election was rife with fraud \u2014 prompting direct attacks from Trump and the endorsement of Diehl for governor. Baker has increasingly and publicly clashed with the pro-Trump chair of his state party as well.<\/p>\n Still, the Republican Governors Association wanted Baker on its team. RGA officials said they hoped Baker would run again as a Republican during the group\u2019s meeting in Phoenix last month. At the event, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan mentioned himself and Baker as examples of effective Republican leaders in Democratic states. Baker featured prominently in the RGA\u2019s latest video touting GOP governors<\/a> \u2014 right after the party\u2019s star du jour, Virginia Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin. And the RGA posted a local news clip of Baker supporting small businesses<\/a> on its YouTube page just last week.<\/p>\n Baker\u2019s long-awaited decision energizes the Massachusetts governor\u2019s race. State Attorney General Maura Healey, widely considered the Democrats\u2019 best chance to reclaim the corner office, will now be expected to say whether she’ll join a field that already includes state Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz, former state Sen. Ben Downing and Harvard professor Danielle Allen. Healey’s decision is likely to spur movement within the state\u2019s deep Democratic bench for down-ballot races as well.<\/p>\n