Meet Charlie Baker, the Michael Scott of the Massachusetts gubernatorial race.
Baker, the presumptive Republican candidate, is making up for his 10-point lag in the polls by outspending Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick by nearly 2 to 1, spending $2 million since August, according to the Boston Herald.
He’s blown about a tenth of it on gimmicky parties: $1,000 for a mechanical bull rental, $4,000 on balloons and confetti, $1,500 for an American Gladiator-style jousting arena. He’s spent $196,000 on catering and room rentals for parties, almost $7,000 on lunches, $6,000 on a holiday party and $1,500 to have the New Black Eagle Jazz Band play at a fundraiser.
As part of one party package, he had a photo booth set up with a green screen so supporters could take a picture “with” Baker and his running mate.
One Republican state legislator told the Herald the splurges were necessary to boost Baker’s name recognition. Besides, he said, the mechanical bull “was a riot.”
The parties may have given Baker some recognition among voters — but if that’s the case, to know him isn’t exactly to love him, and Baker is quickly slipping in the polls. In April, a Rasmussen survey showed Baker within eight points of Patrick. A month later, Baker fell to 14 points behind.
