The opinions expressed below are Jon Keller's, not those of WBZ-TV, CBS News or Skydance.
The old Massachusetts GOP lives on - in the form of Democratic Governor Maura Healey.
You'll recall that once upon a time, local Republicans hit on a formula for winning the corner office: fiscal management that eschewed broad-based tax hikes while learning to live with the expanding budgets favored by the public and the legislators they elect, combined with social tolerance. It got Bill Weld, Paul Cellucci and Charlie Baker elected twice (and would probably have worked for Mitt Romney if he hadn't Etch-A-Sketched his way back into conservative Republicanism).
Healey is no Republican. But true to her avowed admiration for Baker's moderate instincts, she picked enough significant fights with her own party's left to earn centrist credibility, kept her base close through generous spending and homage to liberal principles, and knew when to cut her losses.
Speaking of losses, Mike Minogue may or may not rue the squandering of $20 million on this unfortunate campaign. He is unlikely to go hungry. But if he plans to get back in the ring again, Minogue needs to learn how to fight. Paid media is great, but shunning free media in the form of primary debates, post-debate press availabilities, and more aggressive piggybacking on the news cycle is sheer foolishness. So were the trademark online videos showing the candidate goofing around in a hoodie, name-dropping Dunkin and Market Basket, and basking in the adulation of sparse crowds.
The state GOP's financial struggles are real, and it's understandable that they prioritized self-funders over a genuine political process that might have produced a better candidate. But now they're right back where they started - out of power, broke, and wondering why they can't cultivate any good old-fashioned electable candidates like Maura Healey.
