Are Republican making inroads in MA cities? (Boston, Worcester: school, tax)

[btownboss4]

Usually Massachusetts cities are Democratic strong holds, but this year, their hold seems to be slipping.
The Democratic Vote share was almost the same between 2010 and 2004 (dropping 1%).
But in Boston Patrick got 70% to Coakleys 66%. (her vote margin being ~39,000 votes less)
in Worcester Patrick got 60% to Coakley's 53% (raw margin loss of ~8,000)
in Springfield Patrick got 63% to Coakley's 58% (raw margin loss of ~3,000)
in Lowell Patrick got 49% to Coakley's 51% (raw magin loss ~200 Cahill got 7%)
in New Beford Patrict got 66% to Coakleys 62% (raw margin loss 4,500)
So Coakley lost in the Cities, not the Republican Stronghold of Worcester County, or the South Shore.

[baystater]

https://malegislature.gov/People/House

https://malegislature.gov/People/Senate

Me thinks in general.......no.......not really.

[MassVt]

N....o

[btownboss4]

Originally Posted by baystater

https://malegislature.gov/People/House

https://malegislature.gov/People/Senate

Me thinks in general.......no.......not really.

Legislatures are wierd though
Jim Mecili (D) and Charlie Baker (R) both got >2/3rds of the vote in the Middlesex 19th.

[jayrandom]

I don't think you can read much into a single election, especially when the Democratic candidate is Martha Coakley. She may be good at getting Democrats to vote for her in primaries, but she's absolutely terrible at getting independents to vote for her in general elections.

[Parsec]

Originally Posted by jayrandom

I don't think you can read much into a single election, especially when the Democratic candidate is Martha Coakley. She may be good at getting Democrats to vote for her in primaries, but she's absolutely terrible at getting independents to vote for her in general elections.

This. It has more to do with the fact that the Dem candidate was Martha Coakley than anything else. I wonder if she's the first Dem in MA to lose to a Republican in 2 separate high-profile elections. Either way, I think it's safe to say her political career is over. She'll probably take a post at BU school of law and go back to living a quiet life.

[90Cantab]

See the breakdown of the general court races, DAs, auditor, etc.... They are all pretty solid blue. A lot of people voted Baker and then down-the-line democratic on the rest of the ballot. Baker won a lot more in the urban areas because of his focus on economic revitalization outside of Boston. Also peeled off the same voters that went for Brown in 2010. Also fits the historical reality of New Englanders voting in Republican governors to balance the legislatures.

Also, let's call a spade, a spade. The Republican party in Massachusetts is the traditional moderate Yankee Republican type, not the more radical national party. Hopefully it stays that way too, I like Baker - I hope his economic policy for "gateway cities" is more than just a few tax cuts, but I think he'll be good for the state. His only weak spot is if the state party continues to push to the right, especially on social issues - we don't need a culture war.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by 90Cantab

if the state party continues to push to the right, especially on social issues - we don't need a culture war.

If the Dems are going to continue to fight the culture way, why shouldn't the Republicans?

[90Cantab]

Originally Posted by massnative71

If the Dems are going to continue to fight the culture way, why shouldn't the Republicans?

Then they can keep losing elections. Baker won in part because he wasn't far right on cultural issues.

[pennyone]

Originally Posted by 90Cantab

Then they can keep losing elections. Baker won in part because he wasn't far right on cultural issues.

Absolutely. I voted for him precisely because he is a sane republican, someone who is socially relatively liberal (read smart and enlightened) and fiscally conservative (read smart and enlightened).

Massachusetts is too educated and too enlightened to put up with a republican of the fascist, religious freak-nut type. Of course, Patrick really p-off lots of moderate independents like me when he offered to take in illegal under-age people....We do not need any more potential recruits for the gangs that have ruined places like Chelsea and Lawrence etc.