The Race is in the Middle

While the Republican Governors Association continues to attack Tim Cahill to prop up the stuck in the mud Baker/Tisei team, Republican State Rep/Senate candidates and Congressional candidates are fighting for press and money, the success for the GOP this year may be in the middle.  Specifically the races for Auditor, Treasurer, and now Attorney General.

While Baker/Tisei haven't reached 50% of the vote in any poll, the real push for all GOP candidates should be to concentrate on Karyn Polito, Mary Connaughton, and Jim McKenna, in that order.  Each of these candidates will need 50% +1 vote to win their office, while the Gubernatorial victor will most likely receive less than 50%, if we are to be honest and realistic about this race.  Hundreds of thousands of dollars have already been spent and Baker/Tisei is only "close" to one of the worst Governors in Massachusetts history, when they should have been in the lead with this economy and taxes being raised, etc.

So, in order for the Rep and Senate candidates to receive any push or ride any coat tails to get over that 50%, it will have to come from the campaigns of Polito, Connaughton, and now McKenna.  The Governors race will continue to be a drag down with Cahill remaining in the race, as we have seen.  The focus should be on who can help the "bottom of the ticket" the most on November 2nd.  It isn't the "top of the the ticket"  It's the middle.

Polito and Connaughton are facing the traditional Democrat money machines.  We need to rally around them in the final four weeks to ensure they pull 50% +1 to the Republican side.  If Cahill hovers around 13%-15%, we have no idea where those people will look to for the others races.  If the light is shone on gang of three, it may actually help Baker/Tisei pull away from Cahill and Do Nothing Deval.

Think about this strategy for a moment and ask yourself this - Charlie Baker has been running for around a year now and hasn't cracked the 50% mark (and neither has Patrick or Cahill obviously) in his race.  What will change between now and November 2nd if the GOP continues the same strategy?  Money has been and will continue to be spent by all sides, so that won't change.  Money however, and energy, should be funneled more to where it will help the most.

The Middle, is where it's at!  Focus on Polito, Connaughton, and McKenna, and you push/pull the GOP to victory in November!