Election Day aftermath

DECISION TIME has finally arrived.

So let's hazard some predictions about the different ways Republican Kerry Healey and Democrat Deval Patrick would perform if elected governor.

Like Mitt Romney, the current Republican governor, Healey will confront the Legislature when it overspends or strays off course. She would not mind fighting public battles with lawmakers.

Like Michael Dukakis, our last Democratic governor, Patrick will try to minimize conflict with legislators. He'll seek quiet compromise in pursuit of public consensus.

For as long as he stays, Healey will find Senate President Robert Travaglini, a moderate, her preferable legislative ally. Patrick will have more in common with House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, a traditional liberal.

Both will get on well with Senator Edward M. Kennedy, though behind the scenes, Kennedy and Patrick will have some pointed discussions about Cape Wind. Healey will have only a distant relationship with Senator John Kerry. The junior senator will cultivate Patrick, in part to keep him from backing Barack Obama should the Illinois senator run for president in 2008.

Should a fiscal crisis arise, Healey's imperative will be to balance the budget without raising taxes, even if that means painful spending cuts. Patrick's priority will be to protect the government spending he deems essential; thus he won't draw as hard a line against raising more revenue.

Patrick will help cities and towns by giving them more local aid, plus the right to raise some local levies. Healey will focus on helping municipalities reduce pension costs and healthcare expenses.

On immigration, Healey will cite an ironclad principle against granting state benefits to anyone here illegally and thus will adamantly oppose in-state tuition for illegal immigrants. Invoking empathy for the children themselves, Patrick will urge the Legislature to treat them the same way we do other Massachusetts high school graduates.

Patrick will strive for quality, affordable, public higher education, viewing it as essential to the state's economic future. Healey will not do as much in that area, particularly not if she gets her way on an income tax reduction.

Healey will try to tap economic forces to improve government. Patrick will try to use government forces to improve the economy.

Bettering the business climate will be a priority for Healey. In addition to advocating a speedy reduction of the income tax to 5 percent, she will push to lower unemployment insurance costs and will be chary about imposing new burdens on business.

Patrick will stand by the much more gradual income tax cut -- to 5 percent by 2014 -- already in the law. He will pursue pro business process reforms and will try to nurture new industries by offering public dollars for life science research. But he will also weigh the public purpose that could be accomplished by demanding more of business, as he did in endorsing the notion of a significant payroll tax for healthcare expansion.

The Republican will prove a prod for better teacher training, more accountability in education, and more charter schools. The Democrat will push for a longer school day and will stand surprisingly strong on the MCAS, but will want to satisfy his union allies before he agrees to more charter schools.

Healey will find herself pressured to deliver on dubious secret commitments she has made to the Gun Owners' Action League. Patrick will be pressed on unwise anti competition commitments he has made to the AFL-CIO.

A criminologist by training, Healey will push hard for tougher criminal justice laws, with fewer concerns for defendants' rights or privacy issues. A former defense lawyer, Patrick will give more consideration to the possibility that the criminal justice system can get it wrong.

Healey will readily knock heads with the unions, but be wary about running afoul of talk-radio types. Patrick will shrug off talk-radio bombast, but be reluctant to cross organized labor.

Patrick will win praise as listener, but will be slower to take a firm position on developing issues.

Healey will stake out clearer positions earlier, but will leave significant constituencies feeling that they haven't been heard.

Patrick will get huffy if his forthrightness is doubted.

Healey will get tetchy if her fairness is questioned.

Both will find it hard to admit they have blundered.

Healey's missteps will come because she sometimes suffers from a tin ear.

Patrick's will occur because he can mistake the progressive movement he has built for the entire state.

Quick students, neither will make the same error twice.

That's my take, anyway.

Now it's time for you to do your thing.

Scot Lehigh's e-mail address is lehigh@globe.com.