When recent polls revealed that Republican Charlie Baker had an almost nine point lead over Democrat Martha Coakley in the Massachusetts gubernatorial race, all eyes turned to Coakley’s next move. Next on her campaign schedule was the October 24th rally at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel featuring former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, current MA governor Deval Patrick, MA Senator Ed Markey, and MA Senator Elizabeth Warren. With the November 4th Election Day fast approaching, the Coakley campaign knew of the importance of this event; each politician implored the audience to advocate for Martha to friends, family, and neighbors. The speakers made the circumstances clear: without the help of volunteers, Coakley would lose the race.
Coakley hoped to boost her numbers by bringing in a respected and powerful female in politics: Hillary Clinton. Although the impact of Clinton’s endorsement of former MA Attorney General Martha Coakley remains unknown in the days immediately following the rally, the reaction of the crowd present that day indicated that Hillary’s approval carried a significant weight. A thunderous applause welcomed Clinton as she stood waving on the stage alongside Coakely. When Clinton approached the podium, she spoke with self-assuredness and incredible intelligence, praising Coakley and stating that her success could set a precedent for female political leadership in the country, hinting at a possible Clinton 2016 presidential campaign. Clinton’s statements of support highlighted a few key aspects of Coakley’s platform, most notably her plan to fight for equal pay for women, a cause about which Clinton seemed to feel equally passionate.
Hillary Clinton and the Democratic politicians who expressed their support of Coakley stressed the importance of keeping a Democratic Party leader in command. It was in these speeches that the partisan divide was apparent, with a number of the speakers stating that at the end of the day “they’re (the Republicans) wrong, we’re right.” With the millions of dollars allocated to advertising by both parties, it is safe to assume that similar sentiments are conveyed at the rallies for Charlie Baker. To the managers of both Coakley and Baker’s campaigns, the issue of party versus party appears more prevalent than the concept of candidate versus candidate; there was less focus on the individuals and their platforms, and more focus on the party the candidates belong to. However, Massachusetts voters, though traditionally Democratic, have not always chosen candidates based solely on party affiliation; indicating the electorate is willing to vote for a candidate if his or her values are agreeable.
With less than two weeks remaining until Election Day, both Charlie Baker and Martha Coakley are expected to campaign until the polls close. Coakley campaign volunteers patrolled the line of people waiting to enter the rally, asking each individual if he or she would be willing to dedicate the next two weeks to fighting on Martha’s behalf. At this point in the race, it appears Coakley will rely heavily on the effectiveness of a grassroots campaign to secure the governor’s seat.
