Dems Roll Out Convention-Week Endorsements

Just like Ellen! / Photo via AP

Coming later Tuesday, I have learned, Attorney General candidate Maura Healey will announce the endorsement of former senate president Tom Birmingham. That’s a pretty good get, although skeptics will note that the endorser might be nursing a 12-year-old grudge against Healey’s opponent, Warren Tolman, who ran a TV ad in the 2002 gubernatorial primary accusing Birmingham of protecting big accounting firms that commit Enron-type fraud. (Expect Birmingham to subtly, or perhaps not-so-subtly, contrast his work since that campaign for a non-profit education group serving low-income students against Tolman’s work as a hired-gun corporate lawyer.)

Healey also recently picked up the endorsement of Progressive Massachusetts, which might mean more in delegate terms; that group is also doing some pretty aggressive calling and canvassing. And in Boston (where most delegates are expected to go with Tolman), City Councilor Matt O’Malley endorsed Healey on Monday.

Of course, Tolman continues to rack up mountains of endorsements on his side. Most recently he announced no fewer than 30 pols in the Springfield area, from councilors and selectmen to state senators Gale Candaras and James Welch.

In the governor’s race, the big name today is Quincy’s Ron Mariano, not just because he’s Majority Leader but because of who he’s endorsing: Juliette Kayyem, who until now has struggled to gain endorsements from elected officials.

Don Berwick announced Tuesday the endorsements of Back Bay state representative Jay Livingstone and former state rep Paul Demakis; the other day it was Somerville’s lefty state senator Pat Jehlen. Steve Grossman, with an eye toward progressive delegates, picked up the Bay State Stonewall Democrats and Coalition for Social Justice—and in a Memorial Day weekend special, announced endorsements of eight state legislators who have also served in the military.

Over in the Treasurer primary, underdog state representative Tom Conroy got the endorsement of the Massachusetts Building Trades Council, on the heels of four other labor unions, which are not bad to have in your pocket at the convention. Deb Goldberg got three union endorsements herself this week.

Of course, the week is early yet. Expect more endorsements in the next few days, as the candidates look to get any little boost they can heading into Worcester this weekend.