Republican Gov. Charlie Baker’s decision not to seek a third term has sparked a scramble among potential successors in a suddenly wide-open race. Can Republicans find a way to hang on to the governor’s office — their only remaining lever of power in a state when Democrats hold every other statewide office, every seat in Congress, and overwhelming majorities in the Massachusetts House and Senate? Since its first governor, signer of the U.S. Constitution John Hancock, took office way back in 1780, Massachusetts has elected an unbroken string of men as governor. Only one woman has served, but on an acting basis: Lt. Gov. Jane Swift, a Republican, took over as governor in 2001 after Paul Cellucci became ambassador to Canada.
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Baker’s exit to offer chance for women, put pressure on GOP
