And Now The Race Begins

And it all comes down to Martha Coakley and Scott Brown…

Attorney General Martha Coakley took a step toward history last night, crushing U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano in a landslide victory in the Democratic primary to succeed the iconic late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.

Coakley was the first to jump into the three-month sprint to replace Kennedy in the days after his death, and the bold strategy paid off in the form of a 19-point victory over Capuano. Coakley, vying to be the first female senator from Massachusetts, hauled in 47 percent of the vote to Capuano’s 28 percent. City Year founder Alan Khazei netted 13 percent while Boston Celtics co-owner Stephen Pagliuca got 12.

Coakley’s win sets up a Jan. 19 clash with state Sen. Scott Brown, who trounced Duxbury attorney Jack E. Robinson in the GOP primary, 89 percent to 11 percent.

Her victory also touches off a scramble for her attorney general’s seat, with several lawmakers already expressing interest.

Speaking at the Sheraton Boston, Coakley thanked unions, law enforcement officials, health care workers and Emily’s List, a key Washington, D.C.-based women’s political group that backed her.

“Sometimes the best man for the job is a woman, and I think that’s what the voters said (yesterday),” Coakley told reporters after her victory speech.

Yup, we get it. You are a woman. Let’s move on.

Coakley recalled the late senator in her victory speech, saying he was the first to congratulate her when she won the Middlesex district attorney’s seat. Kennedy’s widow, Victoria, called and congratulated her last night, she said.

“I told her that I and every Democrat in Massachusetts was thinking of her and her family,” Coakley said.

The Kennedy clan, which balked at endorsing a candidate in the primary, threw its support behind Coakley, saying in a statement, “We believe that Martha Coakley will represent the people of Massachusetts with honor and deep commitment.”

How nice an non-specific.

The longshot Brown, meanwhile, pledged to wage a fierce battle and focus his campaign on attracting independent voters.

“We’re halfway there. And now the race begins,” Brown bellowed to cheering supporters at the Newton Marriott. “Never underestimate the independent spirit of Massachusetts.”

We can only hope that there is hope for Scott Brown. Calling him a “longshot” may be putting it mildly, but the air is ripe for change, and perhaps Scott Brown will beat the odds and give Coakley the political fight of her life. This is as good a political climate we’ve seen in a while for a Republican to take that Senate seat; let’s hope, for the sake of the citizens of the Commonwealth, that the tyranny of one-party rule and representation in this state will come to an end.

Here’s to a spirited campaign. Vote for Scott Brown.

No One Gives A Damn…

…what Mrs. Patrick thinks about the US Senate election!

Diane Patrick, the governor’s wife, issued an impassioned plea yesterday to elect US Representative Michael E. Capuano to the US Senate, but the congressman hedged when asked whether her support might help him against Attorney General Martha Coakley, the perceived front-runner and sole woman candidate.

“It’s more personal than anything else to me,’’ Capuano said of the endorsement. “I’ve said from day one, I’m not concerned about gender issues.’’

Although Governor Deval Patrick remains officially neutral in the four-way Democratic primary race, his wife called Capuano a “tenacious fighter’’ who would make a difference on the Senate floor.

“Mike is, number one, a brilliant strategist, and I don’t mean that in the sense of campaigning, but in the sense of getting the job done,’’ Patrick said at a campaign stop before about 150 people at the Dedham Community Theater. “What you see in Mike Capuano is what you get. He is the most genuine man I know.’’

The primary election, to be held Dec. 8, also includes political newcomers Stephen G. Pagliuca and Alan Khazei.

The endorsement by Diane Patrick, a law partner at Ropes & Gray, follows similar public support for Capuano from US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Kitty Dukakis, the wife of former Massachusetts governor Michael S. Dukakis.

Capuano said he is “proud’’ to receive Patrick’s backing, which follows the congressman’s early support for her husband’s gubernatorial campaign. But when asked to rate its importance, Capuano replied, “I have no idea.’’

UPDATE: More from Howie Carr and Jeff Jacoby.

SECOND UPDATE: More from the Boston Herald.

THIRD UPDATE: More from the Globe, Michael Graham, Holly Robichaud and the Herald.

What The Polls Are Saying

Deval Patrick is tanking. Anyone surprised?

A majority of Bay State voters say Gov. Deval Patrick has mishandled the state’s economy, according to a poll released this morning.

The Suffolk University/7 News survey of 600 registered voters found that while 37 percent approve of the governor’s management of the local economy, 55 percent disapprove. Of that number, 29 percent strongly disapprove.

“It’s one of many data points that show the majority of voters are unhappy with the governor,” said David Paleologos, director of Suffolk’s Political Research Center, who conducted the poll from Nov. 4-8. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.

Oddly enough, Patrick leads the three-way contest against Tim Cahill and Christy Mihos, according to the Suffolk University/7 News survey.

Gov. Patrick’s negative marks have inched up to 47 percent since September, when they stood at 45 percent. Nevertheless, he remains predominant (36 percent) in a contest with state Treasurer Tim Cahill (26 percent), running as an Independent, and Republican businessman Christy Mihos (20 percent).

And still interesting to note that Christy Mihos still leads the way in the race for the Republican Primary.

Republican primary voters give Mihos the edge (33 percent) over Harvard Pilgrim Health Care CEO Charlie Baker (30 percent) in a GOP primary. Baker led Mihos among registered Republicans (33 percent to 28 percent) but Mihos, a former Independent candidate for Governor in 2006, outpolled Baker among Republican-leaning Independents (39 percent to 25 percent).

A general election scenario with Baker in the mix ticks Patrick up to 38 percent; Cahill remains at 26 percent; and Baker gets just 15 percent.

Doesn’t look like Charlie Baker is making much progress if he wants to get the Republican nod.

And what about the Senate special election?

On the race to replace Sen. Edward M. Kennedy’s seat, 56 percent of voters are undecided over which candidate offers the best economic policies.

Attorney General Martha Coakley, a Democrat, topped the six-person race with 13 percent, followed by 11 percent for Republican state Sen. Scott Brown, 10 percent for Celtics [team stats] co-owner and Democrat Stephen Pagliuca and 9 percent for Congressman Michael Capuano (D-Somerville). Democrat and City Year co-founder Alan Khazei and Republican Jack E. Robinson were at zero percent.

More data on the poll from Suffolk University…

On the Democratic side of the Senate race, 44 percent chose Coakley, followed by 17 percent for Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca, 16 percent for U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano, and 3 percent for City Year founder Alan Khazei. Twenty percent were undecided.

“Steve Pagliuca scored the biggest improvement since September,” said David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center. “He traveled from zero to second place by flooding the air waves with TV ads. However, he still has not secured the most aware Democratic voters who are choosing Coakley and Capuano before him.”

On the Republican side, state Sen. Scott Brown (45 percent) led Jack E. Robinson (7 percent) with 47 percent undecided.

In General Election head-to-head matchups between the Democratic contenders and the GOP’s Brown, only Khazei fell short, with 33 percent of voters choosing Brown and 30 percent Khazei.

Still of lot of indecisiveness going on here. There’s still some time left before going to vote, and a lot can change.