Notes From D.R. | Random Thoughts on the Passing Scene

If there’s one thing that will prevent Massachusetts Governor-Elect Deval Patrick from going too far to the left once he’s in office, it’s the knowledge that if he does so, not only will he restrict himself to one term, he could possibly end up undoing Democrat dominance of Bay State politics.

Patrick is actually in a very precarious position as he heads into the Corner Office. While progressive activists are hoping that he fulfills all of their blue-state desires, Patrick is under internal pressure not to damage his future political career by turning himself into Mike Dukakis Jr. If Patrick does give in to fierce external pressure and governs from the hard left, not only will he wreck the state’s economic, educational and legal system, he will also create the circumstances necessary for a GOP resurgence in the Commonwealth.

Prior to Patrick’s victory, the Bay State right warned the electorate about what happened to this state during the dark Dukakis years. If Patrick allows "moonbat mania" to run wild during his first term, voters who didn’t buy the "Deval is a whacko" argument will be so horrified that they’ll turn to a revived state GOP for real change and real leadership. (Of course, the state GOP must have the right leadership in place for that to happen.)

A far-left Deval plus a far-left state Legislature will inevitably equal more Republican representatives and senators, along with another GOP governor. The last thing Patrick wants is to be the person blamed by history for allowing such an event to happen.

It can be argued that Patrick’s history indicates that once in office he will not be able to resist the urge to govern from the hard left. Yet one cannot underestimate Patrick’s intelligence. Would he really want to undo his party’s dominion over state politics by going crazy-left? If so, he’d be the dumbest Democrat in decades.

Remember how Chris Gabrieli appeared to gain momentum in the Democrat primary by promising centrist leadership and claiming that it didn’t matter whether an idea was a Democrat or Republican idea, so long as it was a good idea that generated results? Don’t be surprised if Patrick decides to govern as Gabrieli would have governed. Do be surprised if he dictates his own downfall by duplicating Dukakis.

UPDATE: Virginia Buckingham on Patrick.