While Loscocco, who has re-registered "unenrolled" to run with Cahill, is not considered a hard-core conservative, he is certainly thought to be to the right of Baker's running mate, Tisei. (Loscocco had reportedly been angling to be Baker's LG.)
But most observers warn not to read too much into the selection. They say Loscocco was far from Cahill's first choice — he supposedly reached out to Democrats like State Senator Steven Baddour, and former Lowell mayor Eileen Donoghue, as well as Republicans like Brown and GOP state rep Karyn Polito — and should be seen as little more than the one willing to say yes.
If Cahill had really wanted Loscocco, they say, the announcement would have come earlier — specifically, before the new year. Instead, it came too late for Loscocco to "double dip" with contributors: getting the $500 calendar-year maximum in both 2009 and 2010.
That's put the Cahill-Loscocco ticket behind the eight-ball, just as the campaign begins to heat up after the Senate race ends on Tuesday.
To read the "Talking Politics" blog, go to thePhoenix.com/talkingpolitics. David S. Bernstein can be reached at dbernstein[a]phx.com.
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