Ed King, Massachusetts' governor from 1979 to 1983, has passed away on the eve of the state's Democratic primary to choose its next governor. King's slogan, "Make It in Massachusetts," became an omnipresent, and annoying, advertising jingle in my youth. I still can't get it out of my head. The slogan represented the pro-growth, anti-tax policies of King, which allowed him to unseat fellow Democrat Michael Dukakis from the governorship in 1979 (Dukakis would return the favor four years later), and helped usher in the state's landmark proposition two-and-a-half tax rebellion, which limited local property taxes, in 1980. Ronald Reagan labeled Ed King his favorite Democrat governor, and King returned the favor by endorsing President's Reagan reelection. Reagan carried Massachusetts in 1984 (as he had four years earlier). Before his life in politics, King played guard for the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Colts. Ed King, the first politician I shook hands with, is dead at 81. The species King belonged to, the conservative Democrat, died off years earlier.

Ed King was one of the last of his kind: moderate, centrist, common sense democrats with a wide range of appeal across party lines. The bigger picture is that he was one the last democrats who reflected what the party once stood for. The new and less improved Democratic Party attracts predominantly left wing socialists as candidates (see current gubernatorial dem front runner Deval Patrick) and voters who stand less for what they’re for than what they're against.

Ed King democrats constituted a cross section of the electorate. The new democrats appear to be the whacky fringe wing of the party that has taken over. Good news for Republicans. R.I.P. Ed, we’re going to miss you.

I voted for Ed King. He was the last Democrat I voted for.