Free for all: Patrick remains high in polls; Mihos has a blog backer

Latest poll shows Patrick still way, way up - with high unfavorables for Healey. Political Intelligence has more.

Matt Margolis on Hub Politics, retorts that the meetings prove Patrick will just be a rubber stamp and seems relieved that Patrick finally admits there might be cases in which he'd want to raise taxes.

David on Blue Mass. Group wonders what you call a lieutenant governor who advertises her closeness with legislative leaders complaining about an opponent who meets with those leaders. Hypocrite springs to mind, he writes.

Also on BMG, Charley on the MTA answers Adam Reilly's double-dog dare to discuss said meeting:

... Well, I love Adam and his consistently bad-ass reporting, but I think this perceived contradiction is a little silly. You know, if Deval Patrick becomes governor, he's gonna have to meet with the legislature. (Noooooo!) Yes, he has used fairly harsh language to describe the culture on Beacon Hill. And his adviser Doug Rubin is absolutely correct to say that much of that is directed at Republican governors -- much ... but indeed not all. ...

Shai Sachs also answers Reilly's dare.

Jay Fitzgerald tries to handicap the whole issue.

The Outraged Liberal is tired of the meeting issue:

... Can't we talk about the real issues -- like what do we get (and not get) with our tax dollars and how do we build a solid state economy where people have good jobs and affordable housing, good, affordable health care, safe neighborhoods and quality schools.

The Kennedy School's Rappaport Institute has put together a series of essays on Hard Choices For The Next Massachusetts Governor.

Via American Athens.

Jesse Legg explains why he's voting for Christy Mihos:

... Mihos stands out, regardless of what opponents believe. His background as a successful businessman reveals something about his ability to manage money and stay on budget. This is a key element to running the government of Massachusetts. ...

John Daley notes that both Healey and Patrick are buying Google ads to try to drive up their search-engine rankings and points out a brewing war for control of Wikipedia pages about the candidates.

Daley also wonders why Tom Reilly isn't out supporting Patrick now that Healey is using his primary comments to bash Patrick.

Rachel Blake: Watching a Deval Patrick ad is eerily similar to watching an episode of Mr. Rodger's Neighborhood. This is not, however, a good thing for the adults who actually get to vote, she writes.

Mark Mills says using polling numbers to decide who gets into a debate is not as simple as it seems.

Tai Irwin has a suggestion for Kerry Healey for the next debate that Mihos and Ross are in: noise-cancelling headphones.