Q&A #5 -- Yoon AND Flaherty?

I'm very gratified to be getting questions today! Thanks, and keep them coming!

"Roseland" asks:

Would Yoon and Flaherty seriously BOTH run for mayor? Splitting the anti-Menino vote would likely result in certain defeat for them both.

What are your thoughts on Yoon and Flaherty's relationship, and is there any chance they are working together to drum up interest in the race and contributions, while only one plans to really run a full campaign?

I do not think Yoon and Flaherty are in cahoots, at all. However, I have previously hypothesized that if Menino is beatable (a big if), it would be more likely to happen if more than one serious challenger runs. It would generate interest throughout the year, including the preliminary; a one-challenger race wouldn't draw interest until after the prelim. The challenger surviving a multi-candidate prelim would get a big boost coming out from it. 

Splitting the anti-Menino vote is not a big issue, because of how Boston's city elections work. The top two vote-getters in a preliminary election go on to the general-election ballot. Presumably, that would be Menino and one anti-Menino candidate.

I think that right now Yoon and Flaherty are each about 60%-70% likely to run, and I think their final decisions will be made based more on what they're being told by their advisers (on fundraising, for instance) than on who else runs.