Mihos Wary of Being Double-Crossed

In today's Boston Herald, Wayne Woodlief has a column (reg req) about Christy Mihos' decision whether to run as an independent or Republican. Mihos will have to make his decision within the next two weeks -- by March 7th -- and he'll base it on whether or not he thinks he can get 15% of the delegates at the state GOP convention in Lowell to get on the ballot. Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey has promised him 15% and ballot access if he runs as a Republican, but Mihos is determined to get there on his own.

Mihos views the offer as a Trojan horse. "I've never had anything handed to me in my life," said the millionaire convenience-store entrepreneur. "If I can't earn this (15 percent of delegates) on my own, I don't want political charity." Besides, Mihos is still skeptical that if he opts out of an independent run, the Healey people may yet doublecross him at the convention. Oops, couldn't get enough of those folks who are conscientiously committed to Kerry to switch over. Sorry, Christy.
[...]
Still, Mihos is wary. "The state party chairman works for Healey's husband. Healey's people control the credentials committee. Suppose they challenge our delegates and deny them their credentials?"

Woodlief points out that Mihos is right to be paranoid -- after all it was no less than former acting Governor Jane Swift who tried to boot him out of the Turnpike Authority for being too independent-minded. If Mihos' field team doesn't think they have 15% of the convention delegates on their side by March 7th, or if he thinks the primary is a lost cause, he'll likely forego the GOP primary altogether and run as an independent. Personally, I think the election will be more interesting as a three-way race, and an independent run by Mihos would likely hurt Kerry Healey's chances of winning. Which is, of course, why she wants him to run as a Republican so badly.