Mayor: Baker’s New Bedford Story is ‘Far-Fetched’

Charlie Baker's story of a New Bedford fisherman he met while on the campaign trail is raising eyebrows on the South Coast.

Baker's says the story of the mountain of a man who told his sons to work as fishermen instead of taking athletic scholarships actually occurred during the 2010 gubernatorial campaign.

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell tells WBSM News he has a hard time believing the entire story.

Mitchell, whose family holds roots in the fishing industry, says he has asked around and has not been made aware of anybody matching the description Baker described in Tuesday's WCVB-TV debate, but that doesn't immediately discredit the story.

The mayor's office fielded calls from media outlets throughout the day Wednesday inquiring about the validity of the story. Mitchell says the story in the media perpetuates a stereotype that New Bedford residents don't hold post-secondary education in high regard, which he says isn't the case.