Q&A #2: Who Wants To Be Lieutenant Governor?

“Glenn” asks:

Do you see one of the Democratic gubernatorial candidates becoming an LG or AG candidate?

“Steven Liebowitz” adds:

Similar to Glenn’s, do you see or hear anyone else jumping in the LG race?

Glenn’s question might refer to the persistent speculation, or as I call it “wishful thinking,” that Juliette Kayyem will gracefully remove herself from the gubernatorial field, shifting to the lieutenant governor or attorney general race, so as to not pull women’s votes from Martha Coakley in the Democratic primary. Kayyem has made very clear to me that she’s in for governor through the February Democratic caucuses, and I believe her. At that point she might drop out, if the caucuses go poorly for her, but it will be too late for her to join another race.

So no, I don’t see that happening, and I think some of the people who are trying not-too-subtly to push Kayyem out should really shut this kind of talk down, because Democratic activists could react quite badly to any perception that Coakley is trying to muscle out someone who threatens to take support from her. (I’m also not sure it’s good analysis—I think it’s just as likely that multiple candidates splitting the not-Coakley vote next September is good for her, regardless of gender.)

Nor do I see any desire or opportunity for either Joe Avellone or Don Berwick to leave the big race until circumstances force them out.

However, to Steven’s query, I think it’s very likely that at least one more candidate will jump into the Democratic lieutenant governor field. (I assume you meant the Democratic field, as there is no Republican LG field yet.) Rumors have it that Felix Arroyo could jump in, or perhaps Ayanna Pressley. There are other possibilities out there. But I would caution that I am not convinced that a late entrant would have that easy a time swiping the nomination away—I think Steve Kerrigan is potentially beatable, but pretty formidable.

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