How will Larry Hogan (R-MD) and Charlie Baker (R-MA) do as governors?

[smoltchanov]

Very differently - I think Charlie Baker will probably do okay, even if a good deal of his policy initiatives never make it out of legislature. His campaign was based on making government more efficient, and he can probably do that from the Governors mansion.

Larry Hogan is a wildcard, but I think the Maryland legislature will be far harsher than the Massachusetts one will be.

+100. Exactly the same thoughts. In addition - almost all relatively conservative (and most moderates too) Maryland Democrats are gone after this year election, so Maryland really has "activist dominated" majority in legislature (against generally strongly conservative Republican minority - not only there are no "Charles Mathias'es", but no Costa's or Kittleman's too). Hogan is in substantially more difficult position then Baker....

[smoltchanov]

Hogan has already declared war on the gays and transes: http://equalitymaryland.org/governor-hogans-first-24-hours-start-on-the-wrong-foot-for-lgbt-maryland/

Well, so much for that.

I don't think it must be considered in such apocaliptic terms. Hogan is a moderate conservative, whose primary concrern is economy and taxes (IMHO - rightfully so). He is not virulently anti-gay, but "gay agenda" surely is not of high priority for him...

P.S. Guys, let's not forget that most men and women are still "straight". And that these people have rights too. And they must be respected and preserved no less then  rights of LGBT people.. Some liberals seem to forget about that...

[smoltchanov]

So pro-business Republican turns out to be pro-business.

Sorry Maryland.

To his credit - he never tried to hide it. And most Marylanders, who came to vote, agreed with that. So - they got what they voted for..

[smoltchanov]

That confirms my belief that he (Hogan) will govern as "slightly right of center" or, at most "pragmatic moderate conservative". Not so bad by present "standards" of Republican party. Whether that will be enough to get reelected in 2018 - too early to tell, but i read a lot of info, that, in addition to low turnout and bleak campaign on Brown's part, a lot of (usually Democratic-leaning) middle class Maryland voters (many of whom voted for Obama and O'Malley recently) soured on Democratic majority on taxes and other economical issues, and went rather heavily for Hogan in November..

[smoltchanov]

That confirms my belief that he (Hogan) will govern as "slightly right of center" or, at most "pragmatic moderate conservative". Not so bad by present "standards" of Republican party. Whether that will be enough to get reelected in 2018 - too early to tell, but i read a lot of info, that, in addition to low turnout and bleak campaign on Brown's part, a lot of (usually Democratic-leaning) middle class Maryland voters (many of whom voted for Obama and O'Malley recently) soured on Democratic majority on taxes and other economical issues, and went rather heavily for Hogan in November..

Not sure what the difference between "slightly right of center" and "pragmatically moderate conservative" is or why you need so many air quotes, but I think to actually be those, Hogan would need to not have done this to begin with. Calling "backsies" doesn't make you "pragmatic," at least by my "standards."

I am sure your and my standards are different. And both are different from Hogan's. So, every statement made here must be considered in context of who makes that statement. For "flaming progressive" Hogan is, surely, almost "reactionary", for far-rightist - almost RINO, for me -  ... i already made my opinion...

[smoltchanov]

P.S. Guys, let's not forget that most men and women are still "straight". And that these people have rights too. And they must be respected and preserved no less then  rights of LGBT people.. Some liberals seem to forget about that...

I'm pretty sure most liberals are straight as well...

Sure. But some tend to forget about that. May be out of "political correctness", i don't really know. But political correctness taken to extreme becomes an idiocy, here i am absolutely sure...

[smoltchanov]

So um... what was he even elected to do? Nothing?

He has shown  that quite straightforwardly during campaign: help business. Easing taxation and so on. Surely - not  "improve social services". Maintain them -yes, but - hardly more..

[smoltchanov]

Just to be clear, liberals who claim their preferred candidates did worse strictly because of racism ARE acknowledging that, in such a scenario, these racists would be Democrats who would normally vote for the party, yes?  It's not like Republicans are more likely to vote for a White Democrat over a Black one; they're not voting for the Democrat, period.

A moderate Republicans (say, from Montgomery county) could easily vote for Democrat, and in the past approximately these area gave us Charles Mathias, Gilbert Guide, Newton Steers and Connie Morella, all of which voted at least left-of-center (IMHO - frequently even as liberals)