The Hiller Instinct: Baker runs for governor

"It ought to be about jobs and the economy and the business climate, because a state that can't grow jobs, can't keep it's young people, is in deep, deep serious long term trouble and that's what I see when I look at Massachusetts right now," Baker said.

He has an attractive political story:

CEO of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care since 1999, he was a cabinet secretary for both Governor Bill Weld and Paul Cellucci in the 1990's and was known as "the smartest man in the State House."

His entry sets up a 2010 GOP Primary with Christy Mihous who is instantly the underdog.

"I think it's a great thing, we can help rebuild the party, energize the base and see if we can bring in more people in the Republican Party," Mihous said.       

Massachusetts Treasurer Tim Cahill said, "We'll find out over the next two months whether I think I really have a chance..."

Cahill's announcement yesterday that he's quitting the Democratic Party to become an independent and almost certainly run for governor may have pressured Baker to get into the race today.

Governor Deval Patrick reacted after returning from Washington:

"I have the same message for Charlie Baker that I did for Tim Cahill and that I do for Christy Mihous: I welcome them warmly to the race; I wish them well and when it's time for the campaign to go full-bore then we'll all go full-bore."

And I have a message for Massachusetts voters: 

If you were hoping Deval Patrick would have an easy road to re-election, forget it!

If you wanted a real governor's race, you've got it!

I'm Andy Hiller, and that's my instinct.

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