BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - Christy Mihos defended his criticism of the Republican Party during his 2006 gubernatorial run Thursday, saying Republican governors' administration of the Big Dig "betrayed the people of the commonwealth."

[img_assist|nid=659|title=Christy Mihos (I)|desc=|link=none|align=right|width=125|height=120]Mihos, of Yarmouth, was responding to a PolitickerMA.com report earlier Thursday. In that story, several Bay State GOP delegates questioned Mihos' loyalty to the party since he was critical of Republicans during his 2006 gubernatorial campaign as an Independent. 

In an email to PolitickerMA.com, Mihos drew parallels between his criticism of the previous Republican administrations and GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's efforts in her 2006 run.

"In the state of Alaska, a candidate for governor takes on the corruption of the party in power  - Republicans - and it's a badge of courage," he wrote. "Only in Massachusetts can one do the same exact thing, and take on the same party leaders who showed 'intentional indifference' to the corruption in and around them and it's a major flaw in the candidate by the party."

Mihos again leveled criticism towards the Republican administrations that handled the Big Dig, just as he did during his 2006 run.  

"It's like Chinese water torture for the people of the commonwealth in that day in and day out, the truth about the Big Dig and the Republican governors who managed it for 16 years are outted," Mihos said. "Weld, Cellucci, Swift, Romney/Healey and their administrations betrayed the people of the commonwealth. As I always said, the Big Dig was the ATM of choice for Massachusetts politicians."