CHARLIE BAKER (R-MA) GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS Life in Brief Quick Summary Born: November 13, 1956 Former health insurance CEO with deep roots in Massachusetts public life; pro-business Hometown: Needham, MA Republican whose close work with Democrats has earned him bipartisan credibility Current Residence: Swampscott, MA • Tenure as America’s highest rated governor has been marked by a focus on public health Religion: Congregationalist and progressive positions on LGBTQ rights, marijuana, minimum wage, and paid leave Education • Shaped by an active family of well-connected • MBA, Northwestern University 1986 conservatives and a liberal Democrat mother • BA, Harvard University, 1979 • Ran a state policy think tank with his father, whose health care analyses caught the eye of Family future Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld • Wife, Lauren Cardy Schadt • Appointed to state government positions, where • Three children he pushed cuts to social services and major infrastructure investments Work History • Significant private sector health care • Governor of Massachusetts, 2015-present experience as CEO of Harvard Pilgrim, where • Entrepreneur, General Catalyst, 2011-2014 he drove efficiency through increased • CEO, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, 1998-2009 premiums, outsourcing, contract restructuring, • Secretary of Administration and Finance of and workforce reduction Massachusetts, 1994-1998 • Won governorship in 2014, combining • Secretary of Health and Human Services of Republican pro-business policies with left-of- Massachusetts, 1992-1994 center stances on social issues • Executive Director, Pioneer Institute for Public Approach and Motivations Policy Research, 1988-1991 • Consultant, Touche Ross, 1987 Measured consensus-builder who adheres to a • Communications Director, Massachusetts High pragmatic bipartisan approach Technology Council, 1981-1984 • Rejects partisan rhetoric, preferring a wonky • Campaign to elect John Connally,1980 style that sticks to the task at hand; sends letters deliberating policy measures rather than Professional Affiliations taking to media • Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare • Public Advisory Board of NHIOP, Saint Anselm • Seeks common ground with Democrats; chose an eclectic cabinet that included Democrats • Executive in Residence, General Catalyst who disagreed with his policy positions on the • Tremont Credit Union Board of Directors campaign trail • Board of Selectmen, Swampscott • Anti-ideologue who sharpened his love for data-driven public policy and team-building Electoral Overview approach while earning his MBA • Reelected in 2018 with 67% and the highest • Selective in his opposition to President Trump; vote totals in state history avoids direct confrontation but rather voices • Won a narrow election in 2014, 48.5%-46.6% disagreement with policies like the travel ban • Lost first election to Ddemocrat incumbent and attempts to repeal the ACA Governor Deval Patrick by 6 points PEOPLE RESEARCH SERVICE 1 CHARLIE BAKER (R-MA) GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS Policy Positions and Areas of Focus Core Communities Focused on building a safe, productive state Prominent in the New England public sphere his entire life Public Health: Works toward bipartisan reforms that address immediate health issues Massachusetts Politicians: Worked closely with • Privatized services and renegotiated physician important lawmakers contracts at state hospitals while at Mass. HHS • Mentored by Bill Weld, former Gov. of • Spearheaded the National Governor’s Massachusetts; Weld called him the “heart and Association’s compact on opioids and served soul” of his administration on the President’s Commission on Opioids • First boss in in Weld’s administration was David • Instituted seven-day-supply limits, pushed Forsberg, now a family friend who chaired opioid education and prescription oversight Baker’s campaign and is active in public policy • Instituted sick leave banks for federal workers • Strong relationship with former Gov. Paul • Promotes access to health care through stable Celluci, who wanted Baker as his running mate insurance markets and augmenting Medicaid • Often rallied with former Sen. Scott Brown • Campaign donated $141K to help elect friend Infrastructure: Focused on better, cheaper Kevin Murphy, now Lowell City Manager transportation and housing for constituents • Financial architect of the Big Dig, a behemoth Massachusetts Political Community: Unending state program to build highways, tunnels, and ties to key figures in civic life in his state bridges; criticized for delay and overbudgeting • Recommended to Weld by Pete Peters, wealthy • Pushed a major $18B bond bill to improve oilman who founded the Pioneer Institute commuter rail and bridges and a $3.9B bill to • Close friends with state Republican operatives repair and improve public buildings Rob Gray, Tim O’Leary, and Greg Lisciotti • Created an oversight board that fixed • Mindy d'Arbeloff, former PR professional and management problems in Massachusetts Bay now Baker staffer, is reportedly his oldest friend Transportation Authority • Appears often with prominent donor Chris • Devoted to using or selling underutilized state Egan, former ambassador to the OECD land in a public housing program in 2015; • Close with Dick Egan, an important political started a $100M fund for workforce housing figure who served as ambassador to Ireland • Signed $1.8B bill to partner with MassHousing • Howard Foley, longtime president of the to create affordable housing projects through Massachusetts High Technology Council state partnership, tax credits and subsidies (MHTC), was an important mentor • Staunch proponent of his “Housing Choices” • Worked at MHTC with current president Chris bill, which would give flexibility in loans and Anderson, whom he engages on tech issues zoning requirements to local municipalities Major Health Arena Players: Friendly with Economics: Pro-growth Republican straining to industry from his time as Harvard Pilgrim CEO balance budgets with state-funded programs • Sat on the board of numerous health orgs, like • Pushed earned-income tax credits, tax amnesty Athena Health; attended summits with top programs, and a $610M economic development industry leaders throughout the 2000s bill to leverage the 2017 federal tax cuts • Prominent health care businessman Paul Levy • Despite anti-tax pledges, raised a payroll tax helped appoint Baker to a hospital board and cautiously supports a surtax on millionaires • Bruce Bullen took over at Pilgrim from Baker • Created grants and incentive programs to bring and is now COO of Blue Cross Mass. General Electric’s HQ to Boston; made a • Tied to Robert Coughlin, chief executive of similarly strong bid for Amazon’s second HQ Massachusetts Biotechnology Council PEOPLE RESEARCH SERVICE 2 CHARLIE BAKER (R-MA) GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS Relevant Financial Information Publications, Media, and Speaking Major donations from industries where Baker Deliberate and well-spoken communicator has spent career Publications: Prefers to write letters to relevant Biggest Industry Donors (Career) policymakers on issues and has authored • Lawyers & Lobbyists, $2.6 million several op-eds • Real Estate, $1.6 million • Preferred Outlets: Boston Globe, New York • Securities & Investment, $1.2 million Times, Rainbow Times • Insurance, $926,000 • Favorite Subjects: education, charter schools, • Health Professionals, $709,000 marijuana, discrimination, COVID-19 Biggest Corporate Donors (Career) Media: Prefers his own press conferences and • Jamestown Associates, $33,000 newspaper interviews over television • SSG Media, $20,000 appearances • TD Bank, $15,000 • Preferred Outlets: National cable news like • Pinpoint Media, $15,000 CNN and PBS; regional media outlets like New • New Car Dealers Association, $6,900 England Cable News; local media like Channel 5 Boston Biggest Individual Donors (Career) • Favorite Subjects: infrastructure, politics, health • James Crowley, Luxury Real Estate Agent, care, minimum wage, paid family leave, budget, $13,250 opioids, immigration, refugees • Gregg Lisciotti, President of Lisciotti • Social Media Habits: Regularly posts on Development Corp $12,050 Facebook and Twitter • Grace Fey, Professor at Harvard Business Speaking: Frequently attended healthcare and School, $12,000 other policy conferences and panels before • John Stowe, CEO of Lutco Inc.,$11,700 becoming Governor; often engages with • Michael Cimini, Investor, $11,650 employees of the state • Favorite Subjects: economic development, Political Donations: Numerous $500+ donations taxes, housing, healthcare, LGBTQ rights, to mostly Republican candidates in MA education, common core • Scott Brown, 2008-2012, $7,700 • Preferred Audience: state workers at factories; • Richard Tisei, 2008-2012, $5,400 state policy forums like the Massachusetts High • Mitt Romney, 2002-2012, $3,500 Technology Council; universities like Hamilton • Thomas Finneran, 2002-2004, $2,000 College; business groups like the Boston • Murphy Healey, 2006, $1,000 Chamber of Commerce • Gina Raimondo, 2014, $1,000 Congressional Testimony: Highlights state policies on major issues in Washington • Testified before House Natural Resources Committee about Massachusetts’ approach to addressing climate change, February 2019 . • Testified before Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on health care reform, September 2019 PEOPLE RESEARCH SERVICE 3 CHARLIE BAKER (R-MA) GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS Family and Personal Background Criticisms and Controversies Public service runs