Boston (Reuters) - Massachusetts Democrats
nominated state Attorney General Martha Coakley, state Treasurer Steven
Grossman and former U.S. health care official Donald Berwick to run
against each other in the state's September primary for the governor's
race.
The winner will run against a Republican in November to succeed
Democrat Deval Patrick, who is stepping down after two terms running
the liberal-leaning state.
Coakley, who lost a 2010 U.S. Senate race to Republican Scott Brown
in a major upset, holds a 49 percent to 14 percent lead over
Grossman in a Boston Globe poll of state voters conducted in early
June.
But she is less popular with party insiders who were voting at
Saturday's convention, owing to lingering disappointment with her
campaign effort against Brown for the Senate seat that opened up
when popular, long-serving Democrat Ted Kennedy died.
Coakley acknowledged those sentiments in a Saturday speech to
delegates that was broadcast on New England Cable News.
"The 2010 Senate election was very painful for a lot of people in
this room," she said. "I understand how much of your heart and soul
was in that race. Mine too."
Coakley came in second on Saturday with 23.3 percent of votes cast,
the Boston Globe reported, well behind Grossman's 35.2 percent.
Berwick trailed with 22.1 percent.
Grossman has championed liberal issues including raising the minimum
wage and told delegates: "I want to be known as the progressive job
creator."
While Democrats outnumber Republicans about 3-to-1 among registered
voters, the state has elected four Republicans as governor since
1990, including 2012 presidential nominee Mitt Romney.
Former healthcare executive Charles Baker is the front-runner in
September’s Republican primary, but faces a challenge from Tea Party
candidate, businessman Mark Fisher.
