With Massachusetts Democrats’ 2018 gubernatorial hopes resting on a group burdened by low name recognition, the party is struggling to find a single person willing to jump in the race to be their running mate. So far, just one candidate has entered the Lieutenant Governor’s race for the Democratic nomination, an office the Boston Globe notes historically “has drawn multiple candidates from lower offices, who are seeking to raise their profiles.”
Boston Globe: So Far, Only One Democrat is Openly Eyeing This Statewide Race
Massachusetts Democrats have been notably underwhelmed by the field jockeying to challenge Republican Governor Charlie Baker, and so far the 2018 race has drawn little attention.
Even further below the radar is the contest for who might join the eventual Democratic nominee on the ticket.
Democratic activists, strategists, and officials say there is an unusual paucity of candidates for the number-two spot of lieutenant governor. Historically, that job has drawn multiple candidates from lower offices, who are seeking to raise their profiles and, if all goes well, secure one of the state’s six constitutional offices.
This time, party insiders say, there’s just one so far. Quentin Palfrey, a former science and technology policy official in the Obama administration, has been courting activists and says he’s “exploring” a run.
The abnormal reluctance by Democrats to enter the race for the state’s number two executive position shows just how little faith they have in the candidates jockeying to become the nominee at the top of the ticket, and serves as another example of Democrats struggling with a weak bench in the states. With GOP Governor Charlie Baker’s indisputable accomplishments on spurring job growth and willingness to work across the aisle, it’s no surprise that Democrats are far from bullish on their prospects of challenging him, even in deep-blue Massachusetts.
