It was a long night, but it wasn’t supposed to be in the view of several Charlie Baker supporters who quoted recent polls, including a Boston Globe survey that had Baker up by nine. When the doors opened to the public at 7:00 pm, the music blared, and Baker volunteers seemed sure of victory.
“My name is Rick Gorka. I’m a Republican consultant here in Massachusetts. We’re expecting a strong showing from across the state and a Charlie Baker victory tonight.”
Earlier in the day Charlie Baker told reporters:
“I do feel the vibe on the ground has been great. And that feels better than it did four years ago.”
An early guest and Baker enthusiast arriving at the Seaport Hotel at 6:00 pm, was brimming with confidence
“I think he has a big chance,” she said.
But as the numbers began dripping in after the polls closed, the buoyant optimism of the growing crowd ebbed and flowed.
The master of ceremonies asked the crowd: “How is everybody doing out there? I can’t thank you guys enough for holding on here but it’s getting close. It’s getting real close. Are you watching what’s going on over here?,” he said pointing to the large television screen.
One woman said she did not want to jinx what she believed would be a favorable outcome for Charlie Baker. But Kevin Peterson, a political consultant, said he believes in raw numbers not signs.
“I’m a democracy activist and a Charlie Baker supporter.’
But he too was less than confidant at 9:00 pm with Baker up by only a few points.
Peterson –a Democrat –had watched the get-out-the-vote campaign play out on the streets of Boston Tuesday and was shocked that the Baker and Coakley numbers were so close.
“Well it’s been a roller coaster. We’ve worked with the Baker campaign for a number of months now. And we were anticipating it to be a close race but not as close as this.”
Around 10 pm, Coakley suddenly jumped ahead by a tiny margin in the vote count. Massachusetts Senate Minority leader Bruce Tarr admitted to being a bit nervous.
“I have a little bit of anxiety because I thought at this point that there would be a greater margin. I still believe that Charlie Baker is going to be the next governor of Massachusetts. I thought that the entire night. My thought hasn’t changed. But clearly this is going to be a situation where we’re in an up and down condition with folks turning out the vote in some parts of the state, we’re going to affect this race and that’s exactly what we’re seeing. And by the way as a student of many gubernatorial races in Massachusetts, I’ve seen a number of them that have become very close, particularly when the Republican is the victor.”
Then new numbers started pouring in from the South Shore and the inner Cape. The evening’s master of ceremonies told the nearly one thousand in attendance around midnight that he was now certain that Charlie Baker would be the next governor of Massachusetts, and at 12:30 am CBS News called it.
“Yes, that’s what I’m talking about,” the MC said to a cheering audience. “That’s what I’m talking about.”
And when Baker finally left his suite and came to the podium at 1:20 am, the crowd, which had teetered between nervousness and poise, cheered.
“I’m kinda hoping there’s no curfew in the Seaport District”, Baker joked.
“Now tomorrow is another day. No one is more anxious to get started in building a Commonwealth of Massachusetts than I am, thank you.”
But at that point in the early morning, with Martha Coakley yet to concede, it would be a few more hours before Baker could truly start to embark on his mission.
