The Hiller Instinct: 7News/Suffolk Poll -- Governor's Race

The biggest winner in our poll is Republican Charlie Baker.

He now seems set to cruise by Christy Mihos in the GOP primary..(47% to 17%) and is showing the most growth of any of the gubernatorial candidates.

Baker can thank Scott Brown for that. When we asked Brown's backers whom they'll support for governor...43% said Baker, 28% Tim Cahill, 11% Patrick, 2% Jill Stein of the Green Party, and 16% are undecided.

Suffolk University pollster Professor David Paleologos says, "the poll tells us that there are coattail effects because 35% of voters haven't heard of Charlie Baker and he's still competitive."

Our exclusive 7News Suffolk University poll shows Governor Patrick 59% easily beating Grace Ross 15% in the Democratic primary, but nothing will be easy for him after that...

Not with 54% of registered voters disapproving of the job he's doing. And when we asked whether Patrick is a weak leader or a victim of the bad economy...68% said weak leader, 22% the economy.

Tim Cahill is still in the race, but the Democrat turned independent is in danger of falling out of it. Only 26% of voters we surveyed call him a true independent, while 47% think he's a true democrat, who left his party to run for governor.

Still, head to head among our poll leaders, it's Patrick 33%, Baker 25%, Cahill 23%, Stein 3% and undecided 16%.

"Today, Charlie Baker is where Scott Brown was at the beginning of January. He still trails, but he's surging and he's within striking distance," Paleologos said.

There are polls and there are trends. Since our last survey of the governor's race in November, Charlie Baker is the only candidate whose support has increased.

You don't have to be a math major to know what that means: if the trends continue, Charlie Baker will be the next governor.

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