Charlie Baker Admits His Reelection Bid Would Be “Complicated”

Charlie Baker is still making up his mind about whether he wants to run for reelection, but he knows he’s in trouble if he does. When asked in an interview about his decision to run again, Baker admitted his re-election bid is “a very complicated issue…for all kinds of reasons.”

One of those reasons is Trump-endorsed primary challenger, Geoff Diehl, who is racking up the support with Republicans and jeopardizing Baker’s reelection chances. A recent poll showed Diehl as the frontrunner of the Republican primary, beating Baker by over 20 points. The same poll found Baker hemorrhaging GOP support, with 54% of Republican primary voters viewing him unfavorably.

Baker’s reelection chances are also “complicated” by his ongoing feud with the Massachusetts Republican Party, who “isn’t sure it wants him back for a third term.” That includes state GOP chairman Jim Lyons, who is actively trying to undermine Baker’s authority and called Baker, “politically not where the Republican Party is, here and nationally.”

The warning signs for Baker’s reelection continue with his anemic fundraising and sinking approval ratings.

“Charlie Baker is openly admitting what the rest of us already know: he’s in for a grueling battle if he decides to seek reelection,” said DGA Deputy Communications Director Sam Newton. “From the jump, he’ll be dealing with a brutal GOP primary that will leave the Massachusetts Republican Party bitterly divided and disorganized. To use Charlie’s own words, his odds of getting another for years as governor are ‘complicated.’”