- I was struck by the line from David Paleologos, longtime pollster at Suffolk, who said that Baker's popularity is an unprecedented statistical phenomenon.

This is the kind of stuff that political consultants would pay anything for.

- Yeah, it is amazing, but I think it fits into a broader context.

Some of it specifically has to do with Baker, as I've mentioned, but I think we're seeing something of a continuation of the pandemic era sort of grasping for comfort and continuity that we've seen in Massachusetts politics go all the way back to Joe Biden's out-of-nowhere win on Super Tuesday here, despite the presence of a hometown candidate.

That happened in other states as well.

But then Ed Markey's defeat of Joe Kennedy and the near-total sweep by incumbents in the legislative elections last fall.

It all speaks to the fact that at a time when a lot of people thought voters would be angry, upset, and demanding change, the opposite is true.

They're looking for comfort food.

They're looking for continuity.

Charlie Baker offers that.