Gonzalez Tries to Tie Baker to Trump [OPINION]

Republican Governor Charlie Baker recently stated that he would back the entire Republican ticket this fall, including Geoff Diehl, who is looking to dethrone Democrat U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren. But Baker's Democrat opponent Jay Gonzalez is seizing upon Baker's endorsement of Diehl to try to paint Baker as some sort of pro-Trump radical.

Diehl unapologetically supports the Trump agenda, but unless you are the most fanatical of Democrats or just don't follow the news, you know that Baker is something less than a Trump supporter. Gonzalez, a tax-and-spend retread from the Deval Patrick days, says Trump is attempting to "take this country backwards" and says Baker, by backing Diehl, is endorsing Trump's "anti-choice, anti-LGBTQ, anti-immigrant, pro-NRA agenda." Got all that?

For the record, Baker is pro-choice, signed the transgender bathroom bill into law, and backed liberal Attorney General Maura Healey's gun grab. Remember? Baker has condemned Trump 's every move, despite the fact that the Massachusetts economy is benefiting directly from Trump policies.

Jay Gonzalez was the budget director for Deval Patrick. Remember how many times those guys tried to raise your taxes? By the way, it was Geoff Diehl who defeated the Patrick-Gonzalez progressive gas tax. Talk about taking us backwards, Gonzalez wants to take us back to the days of Deval Patrick. That's a frightening thought.

Jay Gonzalez is endorsed by the entire Democrat congressional delegation, including Elizabeth Warren, and the same environmental lobbyists who want to put our fishing industry out of business. Think twice before you buy into the Gonzalez rhetoric.

As a candidate, Geoff Diehl has already done more to help our fishing industry than Warren has done in her term as a U.S. Senator. She won't tell why she has been AWOL on the fishing industry or which anti-fishing lobbyists she is kowtowing to and why.

Gonzalez is obviously lying about Baker's record in order to get elected. His record shows that he favors increased taxes and support for the Warren agenda which has done nothing to benefit Massachusetts.

While I have disagreed with Governor Baker on a number of issues, his re-election makes much more sense for Massachusetts than a return to the Patrick-Gonzalez policies of tax and spend.

Meanwhile, even many Democrats agree that Elizabeth Warren has got to go. Former State Representative and Fall River Mayor Robert Correia says Warren has "done nothing for Massachusetts," and he has endorsed Geoff Diehl. A lifelong Democrat, Correia says he's "got nothing to lose" by giving Diehl a shot because Warren has failed to deliver.

And, Diehl has supported the Trump agenda. It's an agenda that has resulted in lower taxes, record-setting unemployment for all Americans, fewer regulations on business and a restoration of our great military. Diehl also supports strengthening our border to prevent an invasion of criminal illegal aliens and drug dealers, and an end to sanctuary cities.

The same old people with the same old tax-and-spend policies have held Massachusetts back for far too long. It's time for change. Just say no to Patrick-Gonzalez tax hikes and Elizabeth Warren's empty promises.

Re-elect Charlie Baker and replace Elizabeth Warren with Geoff Diehl in November.

Barry Richard is the host of The Barry Richard Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. Contact him at barry@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @BarryJRichard58. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.