(MA) How did Jay Gonzalez (D) lost to Baker (R) in 2018

[UnselfconsciousTeff]

Im baffled

[Some of My Best Friends Are Gay]

Charlie Baker had like a 70% approval rating. nothing baffling about that.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Charlie Baker is the Scott Brown of the Northeast. Even he surpasses Gov Sununu, whom can still lose, in 2020

[Free Bird]

Charlie Baker had like a 70% approval rating. nothing baffling about that.

[Free Bird]

Charlie Baker is the Scott Brown of the Northeast. Even he surpasses Gov Sununu, whom can still lose, in 2020

Is it an Atlas meme or just an OC thing to say in random places that Sununu could be vulnerable?

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Dems don't have a nominee yet in NH

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

New England states, even Massachusetts, has this weird fetist for "moderate Republicans" in gubernatorial elections. Do I need to remind people like Bill Weld, Paul Cellucci or Jim Douglas?

[Esteemed Jimmy]

Charlie Baker had like a 70% approval rating. nothing baffling about that.

[junior chįmp]

Baker successfully applied the socialist label to Gonzalez. First time in US Political history

[SnowLabrador]

As a Massachusetts resident who voted for Gonzalez, I know a lot of Democrats who love Baker. He has approval ratings in the 70s. I don't understand why.

[Mike Thick]

When your legislature is dominated by the opposite party, it’s hard to do anything that’ll piss too many people off

[Roll Roons]

When your legislature is dominated by the opposite party, it’s hard to do anything that’ll piss too many people off

Unless your name is Bruce Rauner or Chris Christie.

[Mike Thick]

When your legislature is dominated by the opposite party, it’s hard to do anything that’ll piss too many people off

Unless your name is Bruce Rauner or Chris Christie.

Illinois and New Jersey don't count as states

[VPH]

Gonzalez didn't run a particularly serious campaign because a Baker win was all but inevitable.

[Simfan34]

Charlie Baker is the Scott Brown of the Northeast. Even he surpasses Gov Sununu, whom can still lose, in 2020

If Charlie Baker is the Scott Brown of the Northeast, then what was Scott Brown?

[President of the great nation of 🏳️‍⚧️]

Charlie Baker is the Scott Brown of the Northeast. Even he surpasses Gov Sununu, whom can still lose, in 2020

If Charlie Baker is the Scott Brown of the Northeast, then what was Scott Brown?

The Charlie Baker of the Northeast, obviously.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

All the better known candidates are waiting for 2022 or later for Warren and Baker to retire. Since Ted Kennedy died, natl candidates are coming from other states aside from Massachusetts

[brucejoel99]

Because MA is very pragmatic with their governors. Nobody really had a problem with Baker (indeed, most voters (including independents & center-left Democrats) thought he's done a competently good job), & a lot of people think (at least in Massachusetts, anyway) that when Republicans & Democrats are kept in check & actually try to work together, it makes the government run better.

[Strudelcutie4427]

if you look at the precinct map, gonzalez only won far left areas and some college areas

[Nyvin]

There's a very competitive two party system in Massachusetts,  it's just that it's entirely contained within the Democratic Party.

The progressive/left wing faction of the MA Democratic Party usually has a larger advantage over the state machine/establishment faction of the MA Dem Party in the state legislature, but the state machine faction will often look at the governer seat's veto to keep the progressives in check.  

The system would fall apart if the Progressives ever won the Governor seat, so the state machine can never let that happen.  They vote in "Moderate Republicans" for governor, and then the MA Dems only over the vetos that the state machine faction wants overridden, and leaves the progressives held back.

[South Dakota Democrat]

Charlie Baker is the Scott Brown of the Northeast. Even he surpasses Gov Sununu, whom can still lose, in 2020

Is it an Atlas meme or just an OC thing to say in random places that Sununu could be vulnerable?

This guy just isn't very smart and likes to say random things.

[Figueira]

if you look at the precinct map, gonzalez only won far left areas and some college areas

Not entirely an accurate map--Shelburne (1 precinct) is shown as voting for Baker, when it actually voted for Gonzalez.

Interesting map though, assuming the rest is accurate. Not surprised that Baker won that one precinct in Northampton (but nothing in the rest of Northampton).

[Senator Incitatus]

Well... what's special about that precinct?

Maps make it look like an ordinary suburban neighborhood with a gun club, not that gun owners are Baker's forte. I guess that's enough to make it stand out from the rest of Northampton.

[Figueira]

Well... what's special about that precinct?

Maps make it look like an ordinary suburban neighborhood with a gun club, not that gun owners are Baker's forte. I guess that's enough to make it stand out from the rest of Northampton.

You answered your own question. Just having driven past it, it feels really out of place in Northampton.

I believe it's still solidly Democratic though. This was just a really, really, really strong performance for a Republican in MA.

[Kingpoleon]

Charlie Baker is the Scott Brown of the Northeast. Even he surpasses Gov Sununu, whom can still lose, in 2020

Kind of like how Nikki Haley is the Lindsey Graham of the South?