IMAGINE DOUBLING DOWN ON SUCCESS INSTEAD OF FAILURE?:

After eight years, Baker leaves office this week as the most well-liked Massachusetts governor in recorded history, having reshaped scores of policies and managed countless crises, not least of which was the deadly pandemic that struck Massachusetts early and hard. The moderate Republican has overseen a blue state that remained strong through boom times and disasters. But what he may be remembered for most is a rare ability to earn constituents' trust and maintain it even when he faltered.

More than any one specific law or event, Baker's greatest legacy is a leadership style that impressed even political rivals and put residents at ease in unprecedented times, according to dozens of interviews with elected officials, advocates, political observers, and people close to the governor.

He earned residents' support in moments of crisis, when he led with steady hands. He never lost it. In a country rocked by Donald Trump, unprecedented political extremism, an upending of constitutional rights, mounting inflation, and a deadly virus, Baker was a stabilizing, confidence-inspiring, 6-foot-6 force.

Baker made strides on some of its biggest challenges and earned high marks, if not outright admiration, from the Democrats who control Beacon Hill and the independent voters who dominate the electorate. Still, he and his administration also stumbled -- sometimes with lethal consequences -- missteps that bruised his managerial image, even if they did not ultimately dent his popularity.

"To me, what stuck out was his capacity to learn, to grow, and to really double down -- on the correct path," said state Representative Jon Santiago, a South End Democrat and emergency room physician. "To me, that's the definition of leadership."

Tweet   @brothersjudd