Neighbors proud of Baker rising to the top

SWAMPSCOTT – They may not all have voted for Charlie Baker, but Swampscott residents interviewed Thursday said they are proud to have a local guy headed for the corner office.”I guess it’s pretty good; not a lot of people outside of the North Shore know of Swampscott because it’s such a small town,” Sam Walker, 18, said. “I know him and his family and think he’s a good guy and think his policies will help our state.”A native of Needham, Baker started his career in politics with the Weld and Cellucci administrations before joining the private sector. Baker’s return to politics began with his election to the Swampscott Board of Selectmen in 2004.Gov. Deval Patrick defeated Baker in 2010. But Baker squeaked out a victory over Attorney General Martha Coakley in Tuesday’s election by a margin of 48-47 percent, with Baker garnering 1,041,640 votes to Coakley’s 1,001,279. The race was so close that Coakley did not concede until Wednesday morning.The vote was not as close in Swampscott, with 4,028 voters choosing Baker and 2,413 casting votes for Coakley,The turnout was high in Swampscott, with 67 percent of registered voters heading to the polls – the same percentage as in 2010.Liam Faulkner, 15, was too young to vote for Baker in the state election Tuesday, but Faulkner said he cast a vote for the hometown candidate in the high school’s mock election. The Swampscott High election largely mirrored the statewide election, Faulkner said, with Baker winning a close race.”I kinda wanted Charlie Baker to win because he’s from the town, and I like to see it do big things,” Faulkner said.Inge Borg, who described her age as between 70 and 80, said she was proud of Baker. “I like his smile,” she said, which she thought was funny because she said she didn’t really get along with most Swampscott people.”Swampscott people are funny people,” said Borg, who moved to town from Bavaria in 1965 and said the people “never could get warm to her.”Of course, in a small town, one is bound to run into some disagreement.”Fake it till you make it,” Anthony Wood, 21, said. “I just don’t feel like he’s representative of the general public, especially compared with Mayor Menino.”Wood admitted he did not vote.Bruce Block did vote (and for Baker) and said he thought Baker would represent Swampscott well.”I think it’s great, think it’s fantastic for the town,” Block said, noting his kids grew up playing sports with Baker’s children. Block said he was even proud of Swampscott’s having a local candidate despite the rivalry between his former and new hometowns.”I think it’s even great for Marblehead,” Block said.