(CNN) – Beset by a sinking approval rating and an ongoing budget crisis, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick is facing a gubernatorial challenge from a former member of his own party.
State Treasurer Timothy Cahill announced Wednesday he will formally challenge the one-term governor as an independent candidate next year, a move that could set up a civil-war of sorts in the state's Democratic Party.
"I do not enter this race to run against any individual or party," Cahill said in an official announcement speech in Boston. "Instead I run because I believe we need new leadership to make Massachusetts a vibrant place once again."
Patrick, a Harvard-educated lawyer and former member of the Clinton Justice Department, was elected overwhelmingly in 2006 but has since seen his poll numbers sputter after a series of controversies and the ongoing decline of his state's economy.
A Boston Globe survey earlier this summer put Patrick's approval rating at 35 percent, the lowest in his three-year tenure.
Cahill, who has served as the state's treasurer since 2003, formally severed ties with the Democratic Party earlier this summer, citing then his opposition to one party rule in the state and the Patrick administration's fiscal policy.
On the Republican side, former Harvard Pilgrim Health Care executive Charles Baker has announced he will also mount a gubernatorial run.
From CNN Politics
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So, who you got your $ on? Na'h, I'm playing, I wish I was a bookie, hilarious!! I can't believe people believed me.
Power to Conservatism, old-school baby!
i'm from Worcester, MA and I'll be supporting Treasurer Cahill for governor. i encourage Democrats to compare Tim Cahill and Deval Patrick and see why Tim's the better choice!
Patrick should win
Deval Patrick has his work set out for him if he plans to win.
Massachusetts is going broke due to liberal spending like California and the universal health care program they passed under Gov. Romney. The problem cannot be taxes as it is a very over taxed state.
while I don't care which of the many choices of parites leads, although I think the GOP would be a bad idea as they are a complete joke, picking a good governor is very important
look what happens when you pick a bad one (Alaska)
Gov Patrick a Harvard man...where have we heard that before? Oh yeah the guy living at 1600 Penn. Ave. went to Harvard and just like MA the economy is a mess!
We also have forced health care upon us. If we don't have it we get a penalty at tax time. Seems I heard on CNN that some in the democratic party want to put a $3800 penalty on those who don't have health coverage.
Deval Patrick=Barack Obama
I agree with Cahill in that MA needs to become vibrant again. We need a little less of one party rule!!! Maybe an independant will run for Senator Kennedy's seat!!!
Is it possible Massachusetts is finally moving away from the
Kennedy imposed one-party state?
Deval Patrick – another far-left clown that needs a pink slip.
another puppet of PRESIDENT DAVID AXELROD.
AXELROD is too busy to to keep up PATRICK's teleprompter.
If Deval Patrick were anymore irrelevant he would be a liberal . Oh wait he is. Go, party of the Donkey..............
A democrat running the economy into the ground? No way!
Being from Mass, I look forward to voting AGAINST Deval Patrick as he is another Axelraud fraud who was all full of fuzzy bunny speeches based on nothing but myths and slogans. Hmmmmm?
I made bumper stickers titled Dump Deval 2010 – as together WE didn't and I can't keep enough in stock in my car.
I paid money out of my pocket to spread the truth about this fraud who never ran a city, state or a company and was nothing but YEP, a token feel good election.
A far superior white woman was set aside for this NOTHING of a politician.
Deval, take your new Caddy and new drapes with you, CAN'T WAIT.
Seems Harvard graduates are matriculating without the capabilities that great college once had... How do these people get through the tests, or are they exempted for some reason?
Hmmm, democrat voters divided = Republican victory?
That would be change alright, but this time it would be change for the better.
With no Kennedy for the Dems to hide behind in Massachusetts, a two party system may once again surface in this great colonial state. Today an Independent, tomorrow a Republican. Why not,? Aside from Obama's socialism this is America where a great people still reside.
ALL of these liberal radical democrats need to GO! Stop telling the citizenry how to live and step to the side. We need a more conservative viewpoint and future in our state as well as in our country.
And the democrats, especially Patrick can take their "readiness schools' and take them elsewhere. We do not need charter schools, readiness schools and god knows whatever else kind of schools you radical democrats invest to siphon out the money from our public schools!
It's a little cowardly of Cahill not to run in a primary of one of the major parties. It guarantees someone will win without a majority ... never a good idea.
Maybe John McCain can endorse another meat head baseball player to run for governor just like his choice of Schilling for MA senate.
Good for him running as an idependent!
Would love to see MA. get away from the liberal goofs.
Some of you are seething with hatred on here. You can barely contain yourselves.
Down here in Louisiana, they were pushing Blanco out in favor of Jindal ( I even voted for him). He has made our lives miserable. Bad politicians have no party affiliation.
Good for him running as an independent!
I wish you Hannity and Beck cultists would stop using and accusing everyone that disagrees with stupidity as being socialist. This is just like the same crap we had to endure in the early 50's from Joe McCarthy. While it will ensure the GOP will continue to be insignificant, it is extremely divisive and not in our country's best interest.
The people of Massachusetts must not be to bright, they elected a murdering boozer as senator for over 40 years, so I am sure it really does not matter who runs. I do believe Charles Manson could talk about how great Teddy Kennedy was and get himself elected to any office in Massachusetts. Just a bunch of unionized thugs run the place that why taxes are so high and they are so broke.