McCain Team Backs Independent Candidate in Massachusetts

John Weaver and John Yob, two strategists for John McCain’s 2008 bid, are joining up with Democratic consultant Tad Devine to work for Tim Cahill, Massachusetts’ credible independent candidate for governor. Also signing on: Jordan Gehrke, a younger strategist who worked for both McCain and Scott Brown, albeit in the final stretch of the latter campaign. Weaver profiles the message against GOP gubernatorial hopeful Charlie Baker:

Weaver said he broke GOP ranks because, “An elitist like Baker can’t (relate to voters). He’s a big-spending liberal Republican at a time when that clearly is out of vogue.”

The early strategy will be to pulverize Baker’s reputation with conservative voters inside and outside of the Bay State. Baker’s running mate is pro-choice, while Cahill’s is pro-life — and while pro-life voters went for the nominally pro-choice Scott Brown, the thinking is that, post-Brown, with embattled Gov. Deval Patrick (D-Mass.) leading the race, they shouldn’t have to settle.