Q&A #1 -- Coakley Re-Elect

 "Boston Bertie" asks:

Is Martha Coakley vulnerable for re-election for AG after her absolutely horrendous campaign for the US Senate. Democratic activists that I talk to are raging with her for losing Teddy's seat and all say they will never vote for her again - for anything.

I see Bill Keating's web site for AG hasn't come down. Think he may take her on - and if not a Democrat, how about a Republican's chance of beating her?

Coakley did a round of interviews yesterday (Globe, AP via Cape Cod Times) that seemed intended to start mending fences and send the signal that she intends to run for re-election. But the big test will come over the next couple of months, as she has a series of uncomfortable conversations with influential party members in advance of the Democratic state convention -- who are boiling over with hard feelings in the immediate aftermath. (Here's Speaker DeLeo criticizing her.) If she can persuade them to stick with her, she should be fine. If not, she may be persuaded to step aside rather than force an ugly intra-party fight over her. For now, Keating is giving her some space to work that out before he makes a commitment one way or the other.

It appears that Republican state rep Karyn Polito intends to run regardless, although that may change as the post-election headiness wears off. She would be a very good candidate, but I'm skeptical of her ability to ultimately win the seat.