More on Massachusetts Republicans

For all of the brouhaha regarding the Tea Party this week, the Massachusetts Republicans wound up nominating a good-looking executive as their candidate for governor. Their state senate ranks drop by one because they've chosen a state senator to run for lieutenant governor. They couldn't even muster a candidate to run against a Democrat who'd been humiliated at the national level.
The party platform (here()) is not a radical document, but one that echoes familiar themes of transparency (with a embrace of the web as a way to make governmental processes more visible), lower taxes, fewer regulations, more accountability, and an overall goal of limited government.
There are a few items that might raise an eyebrow:

• Apparently, governmental regulations are standing in the way of reducing toxic building materials - "Supports prompt update of state building codes to allow rapid adoption of more cost-effective, more energy-efficient and less toxic construction materials and techniques." (p8).
• Tort reform, the battle cry in the national Republican health-care  debate, barely gets a whisper - "Generally supports tort reform concepts that limit malpractice awards, with certain exceptions. "(p11).
• Sounding as though they want to take on National Grid, the party "[d]emands the breaking of the monopoly that currently controls electricity generation and distribution in the Commonwealth." (p8).

They didn't mention marriage, abortion, or drugs other than prescription ones. (They'd allow us to buy in Canada if we want to.)
For a while, it looked as though the Tea Party movement would radicalize the Republican party. Not so, The biggest rousers of rabble at the party were Tim Cahill and Cristy Mihos. And, of course, without a major change in the legislature, there's little chance that any part of the Republican platform will pass.  For all the brouhaha, the Republicans aren't even going to put a full team on the field, Red Mass Group:: Great Seats with No candidates.
Dunno what all this portends for the fall elections. I try to avoid predictions just like I try to avoid guess people's ages or weights. The benefit of making a correct guess is very small compared to the damage done by an incorrect call.
Nevertheless, if a radical change is to come in this fall's election, it's not likely to originate in the Republican party in Massachusetts. Radicalism may propel them to victory, as it did with Scott Brown, but it won't make them radicals.