More Than A Year Out, Governor’s Race Brings Surprises

BOSTON — Massachusetts voters will not cast their ballots for governor for another 16 months, but the race for governor is 100 percent underway.

The field grew more crowded this week as the head of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Charlie Baker jumped in the race as a Republican. He will face businessman Christy Mihos in the GOP primary.

Also this week, state Treasurer Timothy Cahill said he would leave the Democratic party and become an independent, which many analysts believe is a precursor to a bid for governor.

All of this comes as dismal poll numbers show, more than a year before the election, that Gov. Deval Patrick may have his work cut out for him to win re-election.

WBUR political analysts Democrat Dan Payne and Republican Todd Domke handicap the race with WBUR’s Bob Oakes.