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Charlie Baker on Government Reform

 

 


$500 donor limit is crazy; it's suppression of free speech

At a Republican forum in Braintree in early April, Baker critiqued rules such as the inability to launch an exploratory committee and donation limits as strictures that benefit incumbents. "We have a $500 limit. Five hundred dollars, you know, in this day and age, I'm sorry, is crazy," Baker said. "I mean the federal limit is $2,500 in the primary; $2,500 in the general. A number of other states, people have gone to court to say that this is a suppression of free speech. They've won. I think Massachusetts probably ought to move. What do you think about having a ballot question that deals with some of these silly incumbent protection rules?"
Source: State House News Service on 2014 Massachusetts Governor race , Dec 3, 2013

Declined to sign "People's Pledge" against outside PAC ads

Both made efforts to fire up their bases with red meat comments on wedge issues like illegal immigration and campaign finance reform. Coakley scolded Baker for not signing a campaign gimmick that blocks third party spending in campaigns known as the "People's Pledge" while pressing him on supporting a constitutional amendment that would reform campaign finance laws. Baker responded by saying that he'd like to see reforms, but the constitutional amendment process is far too slow.
Source: Springfield Republican on 2014 Massachusetts Governor race , Oct 29, 2014

More campaign finance disclosure but remove union exemptions

Baker generally backs a pending campaign finance reform bill to enhance Super PAC donor disclosure and boost donation limits to candidates but faults its failure to end an existing carve-out that permits higher donations by unions. Republican Charlie Baker said he was generally supportive of the measure, but criticized what he called a special exemption for Democratic-leaning labor unions. The bill would require super political action committees to report their donors within seven days of their expenditures. As primary and general election votes approach, those windows would close to every 24 hours.

Of all the candidates for governor, Baker was most critical of the bill. Baker targeted a "carveout" in the legislation for organizations, such as labor unions, that would leave untouched state campaign finance rules that permit them to give candidates up to $15,000.(Boston Globe, 7/1/2014)

Source: Mass IEPAC: Research Profile on Charlie Baker, p.250 , Sep 1, 2014

Supports open meeting law: make legislative debate public

Candidates for governor said they will push for more transparency on Beacon Hill, but only one called for lawmakers to adopt some form of the Open Meeting Law. Baker said: "I certainly think the process needs improvement. This is probably the single biggest and most important legislation that moves through the session. We ought to come up with a legislative calendar that doesn't make the Legislature think it has to eliminate a lot of the debate that should be public.'" (Boston Herald, 5/8/2014)
Source: Mass IEPAC: Research Profile on Charlie Baker, p.170 , Sep 1, 2014

Automatic voter registration via RMV and MassHealth

Hundreds of thousands of new voters could join the state's rolls in the coming years after Governor Charlie Baker signed legislation that adopts automatic voter registration. The voting measure registers eligible residents when they get their driver's licenses or health insurance through the state.

The automatic voter registration law makes Massachusetts the 14th state to adopt such a measure. Under the new law, eligible residents who interact with the Registry of Motor Vehicles or the MassHealth program will have to opt out if they don't want to join the voter rolls, rather than opt in.

The law also allows the secretary of state to reach agreements with state agencies to automatically register voters if they meet certain criteria, potentially further expanding the net the state can cast to reach eligible residents.

Baker previously said he had confidence that the state could install automatic voter registration with a "fairly high degree of integrity" at the Registry of Motor Vehicles.

Source: Boston Globe on 2018 Massachusetts gubernatorial race , Aug 9, 2018

Other governors on Government Reform: Charlie Baker on other issues:
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Gubernatorial Debates 2021:
CA Recall:
S.D.Mayor Kevin_Faulconer(R)
vs.Former Gov. nominee John Cox(R)
vs.Former U.S.Rep Doug Ose(R)
vs.Laura Smith(R)
vs.Former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner(R)
vs.Radio Host Larry Elder(R)
vs.Kevin Paffrath(D)
vs.Gavin Newsom(D)
NJ: Incumbent Phil Murphy(D)
vs.State Rep. Jack Ciattarelli(R)
vs.Candidate Hirsh Singh(R)
vs.GOP Chair Doug Steinhardt(R)
VA: Incumbent Ralph Northam(D,term-limited)
vs.Former Governor Terry McAuliffe(D)
vs.CEO Glenn Youngkin(R)
vs.A.G. Mark Herring(D)
vs.State Sen. Amanda Chase(I)
vs.Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax(D)
vs.State Rep. Jennifer Carroll Foy(D)
vs.State Rep. Lee Carter(D)
vs.State Sen. Jennifer McClellan(D)
vs.State Rep. Kirk Cox(R)
vs.CEO Pete Snyder(R)

Gubernatorial Debates 2023:
KY: Incumbent Andy Beshear(D)
vs.State A.G. Daniel Cameron(R)

vs.Ambassador Kelly Craft(R)
vs.State Auditor Mike Harmon(R)
LA: Incumbent John Bel Edwards(D,term-limited)
vs.Biden Adviser Cedric Richmond(? D)
vs.Senator John Neely Kennedy(? R)
vs.Mitch Landrieu(D ?)
MS: Incumbent Tate Reeves(R)
vs.Bill Waller(R)

Gubernatorial Debates 2022:
AK: Incumbent Mike Dunleavy(R)
vs.Bill Walker(I)
vs.Les Gara(D)
vs.Billy Toien(L)
vs.State Rep. Chris Kurka(R)
AL: Incumbent Kay Ivey(R)
vs.Chris Countryman(D)
vs.Yolanda Flowers(D)
vs.Stacy Lee George(R)
vs.Ambassador Lynda Blanchard(R)
vs.State Sen. Malika Sanders-Fortier(D)
vs.Challenger Tim James(R)
AR: Incumbent Asa Hutchinson(R,term-limited)
vs.Trump Adviser Sarah Huckabee Sanders(R)
vs.A.G. Leslie Rutledge(R,withdrew Nov.2021)
vs.Ricky Dale Harrington(L)
vs.Anthony Bland(D)
vs.Chris Jones(D)
AZ: Incumbent Doug Ducey(R,term-limited)
Mayor Marco Lopez(D)
vs.Former news anchor Kari Lake(R)
vs.Secretary of State Katie Hobbs(D)
vs.State Treasurer Kimberly Yee(R)
vs.U.S.Rep.Matt Salmon(R)
vs.Steve Gaynor(R)
vs.State Rep.Aaron Lieberman(D)
vs.Jorge Rivas(R)
vs.Karrin Taylor Robson(R)
CA: Incumbent Gavin Newsom(D)
vs.S.D.Mayor Kevin_Faulconer(R)
vs.Former Gov. nominee John Cox(R)
vs.Kevin Paffrath(D)
vs.State Sen. Brian Dahle(R)
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CO: Incumbent Jared Polis(D)
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CT: Incumbent Ned Lamont(D)
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FL: Incumbent Ron DeSantis(R)
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HI: Incumbent David Ige(D,term-limited)
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vs.Marissa Kerns(R)
vs.Lt.Gov.Josh Green(D nominee)
vs.Vicky Cayetano(D)
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IA: Incumbent Kim Reynolds(R)
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ID: Incumbent Brad Little(R)
vs.Stephen Heidt(D)
vs.Raul Labrador(R)
vs.Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin(R)
vs.Ammon Bundy(R)
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IL: Incumbent J.B. Pritzker(D)
vs.State Sen.Darren Bailey(R)
vs.Paul Schimpf(R)
vs.Jesse Sullivan(R)
vs.Richard Irvin(R)
KS: Incumbent Laura Kelly(D)
vs.Jeff Colyer(R)
vs.State Sen.Derek Schmidt(R)
vs.Chase LaPorte(R)
Gubernatorial Debates 2022 (continued):
MA: Incumbent Charlie Baker(R)
vs.Lt.Gov.Karyn Polito(R)
vs.State Rep. Geoff Diehl(R)
vs.Harvard Professor Danielle Allen(D)
vs.State Sen.Ben Downing(D)
vs.State Sen.Sonia Chang-Diaz(D)
vs.Shiva Ayyadurai(I)
vs.A.G. Maura Healey(D)
MD: Incumbent Larry Hogan(R,term-limited)
vs.State Del.Robin Ficker(R) vs.State Del.Peter Franchot(D) vs.State Del.Kelly M. Schulz(R) vs.Secretary John B. King(D) vs.Ashwani Jain(D) vs.State A.G. Doug Gansler(D) vs.County Exec. Rushern Baker(D) vs.Secretary Thomas Perez(D) vs.Wes Moore(D) vs.Dan Cox(R)
ME: Incumbent Janet Mills(D)
vs.Former Gov. Paul LePage(R)
MI: Incumbent Gretchen Whitmer(D)
vs.Chief James Craig(R)
vs.Police Chief Tudor Dixon(R)
vs.Garrett Soldano(R)
vs.John E. James(? R)
MN: Incumbent Tim Walz(DFL)
vs.Mayor Mike Murphy(R)
vs.State Sen.Scott Jensen(R)
vs.Michelle Benson(R)
vs.Paul Gazelka(R)
NE: Incumbent Pete Ricketts(R,term-limited)
vs.U.S.Senator Bob Krist(R)
vs.Chuck Herbster(R)
vs.Jim Pillen(R)
vs.Brett Lindstrom(R)
vs.Carol Blood(D)
vs.State Sen. Theresa Thibodeau(R)
NH: Incumbent Chris Sununu(R)
vs.Dan Feltes(D)
vs.Karen Testerman(R)
vs.Dr.Tom Sherman(D)
NM: Incumbent Michelle Lujan Grisham(D)
vs.Commissioner Jay Block(R)
vs.State Rep.Rebecca Dow(R)
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NV: Incumbent Steve Sisolak(D)
vs.A.G.Adam Laxalt(R)
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vs.Dean Heller(R)
vs.Joe Lombardo(R)
vs.Mayor Michele Fiore(R)
NY: Incumbent Andrew Cuomo(D,resigned)
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vs.Joe Pinion(R)
vs.Rob Astorino(R)
vs.Andrew Giuliani(R)
vs.US.Rep.Lee Zeldin(R)
vs.Tom Suozzi(D)
vs.Attorney General Letitia James(D)
OH: Incumbent Mike DeWine(R)
vs.Former Rep.Jim Renacci(R)
vs.Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley(D)
vs.Mayor John Cranley(D)
OK: Incumbent Kevin Stitt(R)
vs.State Sen. Ervin Yen(R)
vs.Connie Johnson(D)
vs.Joy Hofmeister(D)
vs.Natalie Bruno(L)
OR: Incumbent Kate Brown(D,term-limited)
vs.Gov. nominee Bud Pierce(R)
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vs.Casey Kulla(D)
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vs.Tobias Read(D)
vs.State Rep. Christine Drazan(R)
vs.Julian Bell(D)
PA: Incumbent Tom Wolf(D,term-limited)
vs.U.S.Rep. Lou Barletta(R)
vs.Commissioner Joe Gale(R)
vs.A.G.Josh Shapiro(D)
vs.William McSwain(R)
vs.U.S.Rep.Melissa Hart(R)
vs.State Sen.Scott Martin(R)
vs.State Sen. Scott Martin(R)
vs.State Sen. Doug Mastriano(R)
RI: Incumbent Gina Raimondo(D,to Cabinet)
vs.Gov. Dan McKee(D)
vs.Ashley Kalus(R)
vs.Mayor Allan Fung(R)
vs.Secy.Matt Brown(D)
vs.Luis-Daniel Munoz(D)
vs.RI Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea(D)
vs.Seth Magainer(D)
vs.Helena Foulkes(D)
SC: Incumbent Henry McMaster(R)
vs.US.Rep.Joe Cunningham(D)
vs.State senator Mia McLeod(D)
SD: Incumbent Kristi Noem(R)
vs.State Rep. Billie Sutton(? D)
vs.Speaker Steven Haugaard(R)
vs.Jamie R. Smith(D)
TN: Incumbent Bill Lee(R)
vs.Jason Martin(D)
vs.Carnita Atwater(D)
vs.J B Smiley(D)
TX: Incumbent Greg Abbott(R)
vs.Beto O`Rourke(D)
vs.Chad Prather(R)
vs.State Sen.Don Huffines(R)
vs.U.S.Rep. Allen West(R)
vs.Deirdre Gilbert(D)
VT: Incumbent Phil Scott(R)
vs.Brenda Siegel(D)
WI: Incumbent Tony Evers(D)
vs.Tim Michels(R)
vs.CEO Jonathan Wichmann(R)
vs.Rebecca Kleefisch(R)
vs.State Rep. Timothy Ramthun(R)
WY: Incumbent Mark Gordon(R)
vs.Theresa Livingstone(D)
vs.Rex Rammell(R)
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