Do Reilly, Patrick and Gabrieli Need Each Other To Debate Healey?

On May 18, the first live broadcast gubernatorial debate will be held, without Kerry Healey being there… And she’s smart not going to participate. And rightly so.

All three Democrats going for their party’s nomination for governor, and Independent Christy Mihos will be participating.

Considering Mihos wasn’t Republican enough to run as a Republican, had Healey agreed to particpate in this debate, she’d be taking on four opponent at once.

The three Democrats (Deval Patrick, Tom Reilly, and Chris Gabrieli) have nothing to fear from Mihos’s candidacy, and they will have plenty of other opportunities to duke it out between the three of them. The entire goal of this May 18th debate would be to demonstrate to Massachusetts Democrats who can best handle Healey in a debate. Mihos’s support will largely come from Republicans who would likely support Healey otherwise.

A debate between all candidates in all parties prior to the primary is ridiculous. Two of the Democrats participating will not be on the ballot in November. Why would Healey want to debate a candidate that won’t be on the ballot?

Perhaps Deval Patrick, Tom Reilly, and Chris Gabrieli need eachother to debate Kerry Healey. The Gabrieli campaign denies this is the case, “It doesn’t take three Democrats to take on Kerry Healey,” said Dan Cence, a campaign spokesman, “the debate simply includes all who are running for Governor.”

But in fact, the debate does not include all candidates for Governor, Green-Rainbow candidate Grace Ross is not mentioned as being a participant, despite the fact I am sure her campaign would jump at the opportunity to participate. Cence told me that the Gabrieli campaign “would welcome all to participate in the debate.”

Cence noted that Healey was “all for debates” when she was called for four of them last week. “So, is it possible she is for debates, but not for debates?” But Healey called for four debates after the primaries, when the Democrats have chosen which candidate would be on the November ballot.

The Reilly and Patrick campaigns have not yet returned requests for comments.

Matt Margolis is co-author (with Mark Noonan) of Caucus of Corruption: The Truth About The New Democratic Majority. He also blogs at The Buffalo Bean. Follow Matt on Twitter.