The Hiller Instinct: Suffolk poll

But Mitt isn't Mr. Popularity here. In fact, if John McCain picks him to run for Vice President, 41 percent of you are less likely to vote for McCain, compared to 33 percent more likely.

Professor David Paleologos, Suffolk University Pollster

says, "Well, ironically, if McCain picks Mitt Romney it might be the kiss of death in Massachusetts. Independents and especially middle-aged women and older women--by wide margins--fall off the table in terms of their support for Mitt Romney. It's bad news for him."

Similarly, your thoughts about Beacon Hill are not a beacon of clarity.

Twice as many of you-40 percent--say the legislature represents you better than the governor does.

But more than half of you have a generally favorable opinion of Deval Patrick. Still, 40 percent say he's been a worse governor than you expected...compared to 29 percent who say better.

Governor Patrick responded by saying, "I can't be concerned about that. I think we're getting a lot of good things done. We're following exactly the vision and the agenda that I set out when I came to office."

It also looks like you're planning some surprises in November.

Half of you say you'll vote against the proposal to repeal the state income tax, even though conventional wisdom says voters will kill any tax they can. But only 36 percent of you support repeal; 15 percent are undecided.

And 71 percent say you'll decriminalize marijuana in the state...with just 22 percent supporting the current, stricter penalties.

Add it all up and you're liberal, you're conservative, you like your elected officials, but they frustrate you.

One of my favorite quotes is from F. Scott Fitzgerald: "the test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function."

So I'd say Massachusetts is pretty smart.

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

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