Keller @ Large: Mass. Voters Prefer Their Politicians Not Run For President
BOSTON (CBS) - From John Kennedy to Mitt Romney, there's a long track record of Massachusetts politicians using their service here as a springboard for running for president. And it's not hard to see why. We are right next door to the first presidential primary state, and there are plenty of well-heeled donors here ready to help out.
And while JFK was the last local pol to make it all the way to the White House, the Potomac fever his success spawned continues to infect all sorts of Massachusetts political figures.
Senator Elizabeth Warren is making all the right 2020 moves even as she runs for re-election to the Senate this year.
Former Senator and 2004 Democratic nominee John Kerry has let it be known he might be interested. So has former Governor Deval Patrick. But when latest Boston Globe/Suffolk University poll ran that idea by local voters, throwing in Congressmen Seth Moulton and Joe Kennedy for good measure, the results were a warning to them and others to be careful about letting your ambition run wild.
Only 32 percent said they thought Warren should run for president; 58 percent said she shouldn't. Patrick had the most people saying he should run, 38 percent, but 48 percent didn't like that idea. And the worst showing was by Moulton - only 17 percent think he should run.
It's not that these folks aren't seen as good people. I read the result as saying - what about us? You were elected to serve Massachusetts - how about sticking with that job for awhile before searching out a promotion?
This poll may have found the antidote for Potomac fever - a brisk wake-up call from fed up voters.
Talk back to me via email at keller@wbztv.com, or use Twitter, @kelleratlarge.