'It really is a surprise': South Shore leaders react after Baker says he won't run again

QUINCY – South Shore elected officials say Gov. Charlie Baker's decision to not seek a third term as governor sets up what could be a contentious election next fall and will create an interesting dynamic within the state's Republican Party.

Baker ended months of speculation about his plans Wednesday when both he and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito said neither would run for governor in November 2022. The popular Republican governor and his righthand woman said a campaign would be "a distraction that would potentially get in the way of many of the things we should be working on for everyone in Massachusetts."

"It really is a surprise," said House Speaker Ron Mariano, of Quincy. "I enjoyed working with the governor. ... I'm going to miss him. He was a willing partner."

Four candidates have declared interest in Baker's seat, including Republican Geoff Diehl, of Whitman. Three Democrats – Harvard professor Danielle Allen, former state Sen. Ben Downing and Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz – are also running. Attorney General Maura Healey has not yet said if she will enter the race on the Democratic side amid widespread speculation.

"It's a wide-open race for someone," Mariano said. "We'll just have to see how it plays out."

Quincy Mayor Tom Koch, who has a close working relationship with the administration, said he's grateful to Baker and Polito for their service.

"They didn't just talk the talk, they walked the walk," Koch said.

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Baker called Koch shortly before 11 a.m. to talk over the announcement with him.

"I'm disappointed and a little bummed out. We worked closely," Koch said. "Not only has he been great for Quincy, but he has also done a great job for the commonwealth. He was a great CEO. ... It's not easy being a Republican governor in Massachusetts."

Koch said he liked Baker's "roll up your sleeves and let's get it done" approach on a number of issues, including the opioid epidemic and housing. He said he wasn't surprised by the decision.

State Sen. John Keenan, a Quincy Democrat, said there's still a lot of work to do with Baker over the next year before he departs.

"I look forward to continuing our work and partnership with the governor over the next year on housing, transportation and behavioral health," Keenan said in a statement. "I know it must have been a difficult decision for him. I thank him and the lieutenant governor and wish them and their families the very best."

State Sen. Patrick O'Connor, a Weymouth Republican, said in a statement that the administration "helped build a viable and robust economy, made critical investments to improve the state services we rely on, and guided the commonwealth throughout the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic."

The news comes as the state's Republican Party has seen dwindling seats in the Legislature, including losing a North Shore House seat Tuesday in a special election. The party has also seen infighting between moderates and right-wingers.

Baker shied away from controversy during the administration of President Donald Trump, and often bucked the president despite being in the same party.

Some recent polls have shown that Baker appears to be more popular among Democrats and independents than Republicans.

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"There's certainly a division in the party," said Norman Tuttle, Quincy's Republican City Committee chair.

Diehl, a former Whitman state representative who has been endorsed by Trump, is the only Republican in the race so far. He ran for the U.S. Senate in 2018 and lost to Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren. He co-chaired Trump's Massachusetts campaign in 2016.

"While I have often differed on policy with this administration, I have always liked Charlie Baker and Karyn Polito personally and I wish them the best in their future endeavors," Diehl said in a statement.

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Joe Difazio can be reached at jdifazio@patriotledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @jldifazio.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: South Shore leaders react to Baker's decision to not seek a third term