Cahill's running mate quits, supports Baker
Tim Cahill has lost his running mate, but he says he's not dropping out of the governor's race.
The independent candidate suffered another high-level defection Friday, as his running mate Paul Loscocco announced he was abandoning his campaign for lieutenant governor and instead endorsing Republican Charlie Baker.
Read: Keller: The End For Tim Cahill?
"I was not prepared for it," Cahill said at an afternoon news conference at his Quincy headquarters.
"I was very surprised."
Eariler in the day, Loscocco told reporters that he called Baker on Thursday night to tell him of his decision. Loscocco then called Cahill on Friday morning.
He then formally endorsed Baker at a joint news conference.
"Tim and I can't win," Loscocco said. "Our message is not resonating with voters."
"I'm sure he's very disappointed," he added.
"I'm disappointed he wouldn't stay and fight until the end," Cahill said, adding that he "didn't need a lieutenant governor to win this race," calling the position a "useless job."
Cahill slammed Loscocco claiming his former running mate cut a "back room deal to deliver this race to Charlie Baker."
Loscocco insisted he wasn't promised anything for his endorsment of Baker.
"I have not been offered anything, nor have I asked for anything."
Gov. Deval Patrick's campaign manager didn't see it that way.
"Today's news is just one more indication that Charlie Baker is a Beacon Hill insider who is more interested in the same back-room deals, and politics as usual that we have worked so hard to change," Sydney Asbury said in a statement.
Loscocco's name will still appear alongside Cahill's on the Nov. 2 ballot, but he will no longer campaign for the state's No. 2 post.
Cahill said if he's elected he'll order Loscocco to resign immediately.
The most recent poll in the race showed Baker and the Democratic incumbent, Gov. Deval Patrick, in a statistical deadheat, with Patrick at 35 percent and Baker at 34 percent.
Cahill lagged at 11 percent, only marginally better than Green-Rainbow Party candidate Jill Stein.
While that survey showed Cahill drawing evenly from potential supporters of both Baker and Patrick, many political analysts felt he was playing a spoiler's role: too weak to beat Patrick, but potentially strong enough to prevent Baker from winning in a three-way race.
Last week, both Cahill's senior campaign strategist and campaign manager quit, citing that argument.
Adviser John Weaver said he would not help elect "the most liberal candidate in the race" during an interview Thursday with The Associated Press, and that viewpoint was endorsed by former campaign manager Adam Meldrum when he resigned on Friday.
Cahill vowed to carry on his campaign, saying he would rely on longtime political adviser Scott Campbell.
