Tea (Party) leaf reading

Barney Frank trounced a dining room table. Martha Coakley gets a primary pass despite widespread dismay over her Senate run. Three gubernatorial candidates and zero primary. Is it any wonder voter turnout was lackluster?

Yet the day after the day after we are regaled with stories in the Globe and Herald that tell us Democrats had an "enthusiasm gap" and Deval Patrick pulled more voters in Swampscott than former town selectman Charlie Baker. Never mind they were running against each other Tuesday.

The Globe offers the disclaimer, aka weasel words, "That is not necessarily a predictor of victory in November — there’s a seven-week campaign to be run" then regales you in numbers.
and urges you to read on.

You wonder why newspaper readership is declining?

Of course the Globe immediately reports on the 10th District primary, where Republican Jeff Perry beat Joe Malone in a contest where 47,700 votes were cast between the two leading candidates. The story line calling this the GOP's best chance to capture a seat supposed drove the enthusiastic Republican turnout.

So why did the supposedly dull Democratic primary draw about 57,700 votes?

Voters are always more interested in the top of the ticket and a lack of primaries at that level was likely the only significant reason for the lackluster turnout. We are about to be bombarded with seven weeks of debates and commercials, charges and counter charges among Patrick, Baker and Tim Cahill.

While the thought is depressing, turnout probably won't be.