Could former Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, currently president of the NCAA, consider returning to elected office? “It certainly looks like it,” Mary Anne Marsh, a Democratic analyst, said during a discussion for Sunday’s year in review. episode of WCVB’s “On The Record.” “Baker is in Massachusetts all the time, supporting candidates, doing the Boston Pops, all that. He certainly looks like someone who’s running,” Marsh said. Baker, a Republican, made his ceremonial “long march” out of the Massachusetts State House in 2023 after his second term ends. He chose not to seek a third term and was replaced by Governor Maura Healey. Which office could the former governor turn to next? Marsh and Rob Gray, a Republican analyst, think he could be a candidate for U.S. Senate. Sen. Ed Markey, 78, confirmed on a previous episode of “OTR” that he plans to run for a third term in 2026. Republican candidate John Deaton failed in his campaign to unseat Sen. Elizabeth Warren in November, but our analysts suggest Baker would have a much stronger starting position against Markey. “Baker would have a chance to win,” Gray said. “I mean, he’s the exception. He ran for governor twice and won successfully. He can raise money and Ed Markey has a lot of problems.” In Democratic-dominated Massachusetts, however, Baker might worry about adding a Republican to Congress. “Voters will be hesitant to send another Republican to Washington, but Charlie Baker has been very anti-Trump. So maybe they’ll look the other way,” Gray said. For Baker, it would also mean giving up a $3 million annual salary from the NCAA. “Do you really want to keep doing (Name, Image Likeness Deals) with middle schoolers?” asked Marsh. “Well, instead of getting beaten up by a congressional committee like Charlie Baker did recently, he could be on the committee and ask the questions,” Gray said.
Could former Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, currently president of the NCAA, consider returning to elected office?
“It certainly looks like it,” said Mary Anne Marsh, a Democratic analyst, during a discussion for Sunday’s year-in-review episode of WCVB’s “On The Record.”
“Baker is in Massachusetts all the time, supporting candidates, doing the Boston Pops, all that. He certainly looks like someone who’s running,” Marsh said.
Baker, a Republican, took his ceremonial “long walk” out of the Massachusetts State House in 2023 after his second term ends. He chose not to seek a third term and was replaced by Governor Maura Healey.
Which office could the former governor turn to next? Marsh and Rob Gray, a Republican analyst, think he could be a candidate for U.S. Senate.
Senator Ed Markey, 78, confirmed during a previous episode of “OTR” that he plans to run for a third term in 2026.
Republican candidate John Deaton failed in his campaign to unseat Sen. Elizabeth Warren in November, but our analysts suggest Baker would have a much stronger starting position against Markey.
“Baker would have a chance to win,” Gray said. “I mean, he’s the exception. He ran for governor twice and won successfully. He can raise money and Ed Markey has a lot of problems.”
In Democratic-dominated Massachusetts, however, Baker might be concerned about adding a Republican to Congress during President Donald Trump’s second term.
“Voters will be hesitant to send another Republican to Washington, but Charlie Baker has been very anti-Trump. So maybe they’ll look the other way,” Gray said.
For Baker, it would also mean giving up a $3 million annual salary from the NCAA.
“Do you really want to keep doing (Name, Image Likeness Deals) with middle schoolers?” asked Marsh.
“Well, instead of getting beaten up by a congressional committee like Charlie Baker did recently, he could be on the committee and ask the questions,” Gray said.