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Coakley: candidate of the Democratic establishment

by: Bob Neer

Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 11:27:51 AM EDT


Press release today from the Coakley campaign:

Eighty-eight state legislators from across Massachusetts have endorsed Martha Coakley for United States Senate, including seventy-two State Representatives and sixteen State Senators.  Martha Coakley enjoys the support of half of all Democratic state legislators.

Take-away: Martha Coakley is the candidate of the state's Democratic establishment. The question is: does that help or hurt her with the electorate.

Personally, I think this is a very two-edged sword in this year of the Great Recession, a  Senate that lurches from bribery scandals to leaving the scene of an accident while raising taxes and trying to weaken ethics reform along the way, and significant discontent with our Democratic Governor.

Who can use the blade against her? Rep. Capuano can't credibly wield the "outsider" edge given his long history as a Democrat's democrat, but it may open the door a bit for Khazei and Pagliuca.

Senator Brown no doubt greeted the news with a stream of #@$%$ invectives.

Complete list of Coakley endorsers after the flip.
Bob Neer :: Coakley: candidate of the Democratic establishment
To date, the following legislators have endorsed Martha Coakley for United States Senate:

Senate President Therese Murray (D-Plymouth)
Senate Majority Leader Frederick Berry (D-Peabody)
Senator Steven Baddour (D-Methuen)
Senator Stephen Brewer (D-Barre)
Senator Harriette Chandler (D-Worcester)
Senator Cynthia Stone Creem (D-Newton)
Senator Benjamin Downing (D-Pittsfield)
Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton)
Senator Susan Fargo (D-Lincoln)
Senator Jennifer Flanagan (D-Leominster)
Senator Joan Menard (D-Fall River)
Senator Michael Moore (D-Millbury)
Senator Michael Morrissey (D-Quincy)
Senator Robert O'Leary (D-Barnstable)
Senator Karen Spilka (D-Ashland)
Senator Susan Tucker (D-Andover)
House Majority Leader James Vallee (D-Franklin)
Representative Charles Murphy (D-Burlington)
Representative James Arciero (D-Westford)
Representative Cory Atkins (D-Concord)
Representative Demetrius Atsalis (D-Hyannis)
Representative Jennifer Benson (D-Lunenburg)
Representative Garrett Bradley (D-Hingham)
Representative Michael Brady (D-Brockton)
Representative Thomas Calter (D-Kingston)
Representative Linda Dean Campbell (D-Methuen)
Representative Christine Canavan (D-Brockton)
Representative Katherine Clark (D-Melrose)
Representative Geraldine Creedon (D-Brockton)
Representative Sean Curran (D-Springfield)
Representative Stephen DiNatale (D-Fitchburg)
Representative Paul Donato (D-Medford)
Representative Christopher Donelan (D-Orange)
Representative Joseph Driscoll (D-Braintree)
Representative James Dwyer (D-Woburn)
Representative Carolyn Dykema (D-Holliston)
Representative Lori Ehrlich (D-Marblehead)
Representative Christopher Fallon (D-Malden)
Representative Mark Falzone (D-Saugus)
Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante (D-Gloucester)
Representative Barry Finegold (D-Andover)
Representative John Fresolo (D-Worcester)
Representative William Galvin (D-Canton)
Representative Sean Garballey (D-Arlington)
Representative Colleen Garry (D-Dracut)
Representative Anne Gobi (D-Spencer)
Representative Mary Grant (D-Beverly)
Representative William Greene (D-Billerica)
Representative Denis Guyer (D-Dalton)
Representative Patricia Haddad (D-Somerset)
Representative Lida Harkins (D-Needham)
Representative Kate Hogan (D-Stow)
Representative Louis Kafka (D-Sharon)
Representative John Keenan (D-Salem)
Representative Kay Khan (D-Newton)
Representative Peter Kocot (D-Northampton)
Representative Peter Koutoujian (D-Newton)
Representative Paul Kujawski (D-Webster)
Representative Barbara L'Italien (D-Andover)
Representative William Lantigua (D-Lawrence)
Representative Jason Lewis (D-Winchester)
Representative David Linsky (D-Natick)
Representative Timothy Madden (D-Nantucket)
Representative Allen McCarthy (D-East Bridgewater)
Representative David Nangle (D-Lowell)
Representative Robert Nyman (D-Hanover)
Representative Sarah Peake (D-Provincetown)
Representative Vincent Pedone (D-Worcester)
Representative Robert Rice (D-Gardner)
Representative Pam Richardson (D-Framingham)
Representative Michael Rodrigues (D-Westport)
Representative John Rogers (D-Norwood)
Representative Dennis Rosa (D-Leominster)
Representative Michael Rush (D-Boston)
Representative Rosemary Sandlin (D-Agawam)
Representative Tom Sannicandro (D-Ashland)
Representative Carl Sciortino (D-Somerville)
Representative Stephen Stat Smith (D-Everett)
Representative Christopher Speranzo (D-Pittsfield)
Representative Joyce Spiliotis (D-Peabody)
Representative Harriett Stanley (D-West Newbury)
Representative William Straus (D-Mattapoisett)
Representative Walter Timilty (D-Milton)
Representative Brian Wallace (D-South Boston)
Representative Steven Walsh (D-Lynn)
Representative Martha "Marty" Walz (D-Boston)
Representative James Welch (D-West Springfield)
Representative Alice Wolf (D-Cambridge)

Also endorsing Martha Coakley for United States Senate:

Mayor Lisa Wong, Fitchburg
Mayor Kim Driscoll, Salem
Mayor Sue Kay, Weymouth
Mayor Nancy Stevens, Marlborough
EMILY's List
National Women's Political Caucus
Teamsters Joint Council 10
Teamsters Local 1 (Quincy)
Teamsters Local 25 (Boston)
Teamsters Local 42 (Lynn)
Teamsters Local 82 (South Boston)
Teamsters Local 127 (Quincy)
Teamsters Local 170 (Worcester)
Teamsters Local 259 (Quincy)
Teamsters Local 404 (Springfield)
Teamsters Local 653 (South Easton)
Unite Here! Local 26
New England Regional Council of Carpenters
Carpenters Local Union 26
Massachusetts Coalition of Police
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 103
Painters & Allied Trades District Council #35
Painters & Allied Trades District Council #11
Pipefitters' Association Local 537
Utility Workers of America Local 369
Brotherhood of Utility Workers' Council
International Union of Operating Engineers Local 877
Massachusetts Police Association
New Bedford Police Union
Office & Professional Employees International Union Local 6
Plymouth/Bristol Central Labor Council
Massachusetts Fraternal Order of Police
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Coakley: candidate of the Democratic establishment | 12 comments
Martha Coakely is inept and incompetent. (0.00 / 2)
The aforemnetioned roster of people and organizations is indacative of only one thing: What's in it for me. These endorsements are surely not the result of competency on the part of Coakely. Ms Coakely may indeed be the nicest person you'd want to meet and she may everyone's favorite next door neighbor-----one thing she is NOT: A leader. Ms Coakely bends whichever way the wind blows. She has not done "what's right" to wit: the Fells Acre debacle and currently the Bechtel/Parsons rip off on the Big Dig.
Martha Coakely lacks "spine". Everything and anything controversial and Martha runs for cover or goes into hiding ie the arrests of prominent politicians and the gates fiasco in Cambridge. ANYONE on the current democrat line up would better serve Massachusetts in the US Senate than Martha Coakely.

When a politician gets the endorsement of the very people who have screwed up Massachusetts taxation and spending to a fair--the--well, and were the culprits behind the the senatorial appointment/replacement fiasco re Ted Kennedy
it is hardly anything that you'd want the electorate to be aware of.

No Secret to State Legislator Endorsements (5.00 / 2)
Just because Coakley has a lot of State Legislator endorsements doesn't necessarily mean she is beholden to them, or even she's "the candidate of the democratic establishment."

I'd be surprised if Coakley had to work very hard to get any of these endorsements.  State Representatives and Senators, in particular, have much more to gain by endorsing Coakley than any other candidate.

Look at it from a State Legislator's perspective:

1.  There isn't any substantive difference on the issues between Coakley and Capuano.  So, the normal ideological endorsements don't apply.

2.  Coakley is way ahead in the polls and State Legislators are like reeds in the wind.  They like to go with the front runner.  Granted Coakley's support is shallow, but the primary election is less than 2 months away and the other candidates have yet to do anything to change the primary election dynamic.

3.  There's a downside to endorsing anyone but Coakley.  Say, for example, Capuano actually wins. Coakley will still be Mass Atty General.  Do legislators really want to be on the wrong side of Coakley who could be decisive on future ethics investigations into themselves?

4.  There's an upside for State Legislators with Coakley becoming US Senator.  Only legislators get to select a mid-term opening for Mass Atty General.  Should Coakley become a US Senator, State Reps and Senators will convene in a joint session and select the next Mass Attorney General.  State Reps and Senators will each have one equal vote.  Since there are many more State Reps than Senators, it's likely that the Mass House Leadership will be determinative.

Bottom Line:  I'd be shocked if Coakley didn't have a long list of State Legislator endorsements.


Nearly cut 'n paste from LiL (0.00 / 0)
Rep. Nangle (D-Lowell) endorses Coakely.

I'm betting it was no accident that Cappy pulled Roger Lau in because Roger got Niki Tsongas through in the state's last federal level Special in '07. It's gonna be odd though because Lau & Coakley were both Clintonistas in 07/08, while Cappy was a hopemonger. The alliances don't match up.

Lau may be feeling his Wheaties in CD5, but HRC won big on Feb 5th. Oh, how I remember.

Thinking about this some more. Clinton pasted Obama in Lowell, nearly 2 to 1. Why is Lau pitching a liberal, "Obamaton" up in this neck of the woods. And is that why he had DiPaolo introduce him at the Paridisio? Nothing says "this guy is one of us" to machine operatives like the Sheriff tooting your horn.

Waiting to see what the other Lowell Reps do.


A consensus formed from the echo of parrots, is no consensus.
I'm Jack Mitchell and I'm confused by this message.

23 years in public service (0.00 / 0)
Those who actually have worked with Martha Coakley or know her personally know from personal experience that she hard working, honest, more than competent and committed.  It's no wonder she has so many fans in government- she gets things done.  The trash talk is coming from random commenters who are obviously shilling for another candidate and throwing dirt bombs- Fells Acre- give me a break-
Perhaps the reason so many are supporting Martha is that they have children and people they love who will count on the next Senator to bring the needed change that had been promised in Washington.   Having only 17 women out of 100 is an outrage- The fact that Coakley is a women is not the only reason to vote for her but the unfairness in this state towards women can be a merit for sure.  
According to a recent Stanford study, women are more effective legislatures than the guys- Women have a much harder time raising money and getting a footing - they have to be extraordinary candidates- very few mediocre women reach the top of their fields-  Martha is a perfect example.  Wish we had more balance on this site- I guess since Coakley is the front runner and the guys are all gunning for her and those here are doing it as well-  Let's hope this election, unlike the national primary, is based on facts -not just words.  
I'll get very lazy (0.00 / 0)
if I hear too much of that tired Clintonista rhetoric.

As an old school hopemonger, I was not happy over 07-08. The total BS that came out of Therese Murray and Coakley. Arrgh. Well. OK. Ya did what ya had do to win, but enough is enough.

I'm for Coakley, but I have my limits.

And don't even remind me of that stunt she pulled at Denver!


A consensus formed from the echo of parrots, is no consensus.
I'm Jack Mitchell and I'm confused by this message.

[ Parent ]
You all have it wrong (0.00 / 0)
What these endorsements mean is that Democrats in the state recognize Coakley's leadership and recognize the need to get away from the old boys. Capuano might as well be a poster child for the "Massachusetts Establishment." After all, look who's in his camp: Barney Frank and Jim McGovern. Of course Coakley has strong political ties.  It takes those to win an AG race and even more so a Senate race. But that doesn't make her the establishment candidate. Support for Martha is support for the best of what Democrats can offer: the best of tried and true Democratic principles, progressive change, and a deeply held commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of constituents.  She's shown in her work that she's engaged with issues that matter and change the things that don't work, rolling up her sleeves and slugging it out with predatory lenders and others who don't take average peoples' interests to heart. If BlueMass bloggers are going to be so biased, this being just one more negative portrayal of Coakley, they should come out and endorse--people should be candid with their readers about their biases.
I'd leave aside the bias... (0.00 / 0)
..but I would think that the average time "in public service" of Coakley's endorsers is much lower than the average time of Capuano's endorsers.

~~~~
Believe it or not, I have even more to say...
[ Parent ]
Many endorsers does not an establishment make (0.00 / 0)
Coakley's long roster of legislative endorsers signals not her place in the Democratic establishment, but her record of achievement. I would hardly describe Reps like Carl Sciortino as "establishment" House members, but strong progressives who recognize Coakley for what she is and will be: a strong progressive voice for the Commonwealth in Washington.
Perspective. (6.00 / 2)
Depending on where you sit, all of these state-level endorsements are either a good thing (lots of support working on the local level!  well respected among her colleagues!) or a bad thing (candidate of the establishment!  beholden to the hackery!).

Whatever, in the end it really doesn't matter a whole lot.  People will make up their minds based on this sort of thing.  People will make up their minds ignorning this sort of thing.    

Is Martha Coakley the Tom Reilly of the US Senate Race?? (0.00 / 0)
There are strange parallels developing here.  A front-runner who starts with the establishment support and the race to lose, some ill considered comments to the media, and energetic opponents with a positive vision for Massachusetts.  I still think this is Martha's primary race to lose, but the Governor's race proves that she can lose to an upstart.  Most mainstream Dems will think Cap as the alternative to Martha, but Khazei's energy and enthusiasm to bring in new voters will be a powerful distinction from the rest of the field.  If history (and Reilly) is any guide, this could be anyone's race on the Democratic side.  
Provided nothing has changed (5.50 / 2)
Given the serious buyer's remorse for Deval extant in the Massachusetts electorate, trying to be "the next Deval" may not be the way to go...

~~~~
Believe it or not, I have even more to say...
[ Parent ]
Agreed (5.00 / 1)
Khazei is going to be hurt by Deval and to a lesser extent Obama fatigue and buyer's remorse. Also a Senate seat is a position where an insider would be a better fit than an outsider since they have had experience crafting legislation already. I think that were this a regular election Khazei would have a shot, it took us Deval volunteers two years to raise his name recognition and positives up before he caught fire in the primary, Khazei just doesn't have the time to get his name out. If he is smart though he could run for Mikes seat if Mike wins and bring his money and volunteer army over to that race. But I don't think he has the time to close the gap.  
[ Parent ]
Coakley: candidate of the Democratic establishment | 12 comments



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