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The selection of state Sen. Richard Tisei, R-Wakefield, as a running mate is proof positive that Charlie Baker thinks he can win next year’s race for governor.
Tisei, fiscally conservative but liberal on many social issues including gay rights and abortion, is the kind of candidate the GOP needs in order to make a serious run at statewide office. Voters have demonstrated time and again they want nothing to do with the party’s daffy right wing that seems to be in control in so many other parts of the country.
Baker and Tisei will make a good team, though one has to hope the minority party can find candidates with a serious chance of retaining the Senate seats being vacated by the lieutenant governor aspirant and U.S. Senate candidate Scott Brown.
By focusing on fiscal issues rather than conservative dogma, Baker and his running mate should be able to mount a credible challenge to incumbent Deval Patrick whose best hope at the moment is that State Treasurer Tim Cahill, running as an independent, will be able to draw enough anti-administration votes to leave the incumbent with a plurality next November.