Massachusetts AG Martha Coakley May Have a Worthy Challenger

BOSTON - The ho hum race for Massachusetts Attorney General (AG), a position currently held by Democrat Martha Coakley, appears to have received an attention-grabbing boost this week. In the primary, voters stood behind Republican James McKenna, providing him with write-in votes, which he needed in order to make the Nov. election ballot.

Because many towns are still counting votes, McKenna, who is a respectable attorney and former prosecutor, has not officially declared he is on the ballot. However, his website stopped updating the count after it passed the magic 10,000 mark -- the amount of write-in votes required to make the ballot. Will this recent twist rattle AG Martha Coakley somewhat, now that she has a challenger?

Will Coakley Launch Another Feisty Campaign?

When it comes to weighing in on Martha Coakley -- people seem to run hot and cold. Part of this reaction may be the residual effect from the ugly fracas she brought on in her run against Scott Brown, to seize the Massachusetts senate seat left vacant by the late Ted Kennedy. A seat Brown won.

Now that it appears, she has James McKenna as a worthy opponent, who himself has an ax to grind when it comes to political corruption; Coakley needs to play nice in this campaign. Did she learn her lesson that the people of Massachusetts are worn out from and fed up with dirty campaigns? I sure hope so!

Political campaigns are of course, all about getting things miraculously accomplished just before an election. I believe Martha Coakley is highly susceptible to voter scrutiny since her sensational loss to Scott Brown in the January special election. With this in mind, as an AG, she not surprisingly, stepped up her efforts recently on a couple of worthy issues.

After failing to join about 39 other states, in a prior push to get the adult services section removed from Craigslist; Martha Coakley did a complete turn around a month ago, and went after Craigslist tooth and nail. Many Massachusetts voters say it is too little, too late. I say; even if it is a blatant political move; something is better than nothing when it comes to this controversial issue. I will give Martha a few points for taking a stab at this.

Coakley Takes On National Grid

To the AG's credit, Coakley wants state regulators to offer up a big fat no to National Grid's request for a $103 million gas-rate increase. According to Coakley, who I caught on WTKK-96.9 radio recently, she believes National Grid is trying to pass off unnecessary costs reaching in the millions, to residents and businesses in the state.

Again, many feel the AG is driven by her own political motives. I do as well. However, if she can save the people of the Commonwealth some money -- well, who can argue with that. Keep in mind; Martha Coakley may save you some money, and still lose her bid for re-election in November.

James McKenna is definitely going to pique some interest for Massachusetts voters between now and the election. McKenna has no fear about prosecuting public corruption -- something Martha Coakley, in the eyes of the public, has not dealt with properly. She claims her hands are tied on most matters.

James McKenna does not see it that way. Considering he spent three years as assistant district attorney in the organized crime division of the Suffolk County DA's office -- I am thinking he may well be just what Massachusetts needs. The next 46 or so days should be fascinating!

Sources:

Boston Herald

TheBostonChannel.com

Jimforag.com