Former Rival Endorses Martha Coakley

Coakley currently leads a voters poll in the race to become governor

Martha Coakley was endorsed by her former Democratic opponent, Don Berwick, who had criticized Coakley in the primary for not being bold enough on key progressive issues. Berwick now says, while they don't agree on everything, they share the same values.

The endorsement comes as a new poll shows Coakley statistically tied with her Republican opponent Charlie Baker with 19% of voters still undecided.

"It's time to wake up here and pay attention. There's too much at stake here in Massachusetts to not get involved in the race," said Coakley.

The poll shows that Baker's strategy - to define himself as a pro-choice/pro gay marriage moderate may be working.

But Coakley supporters say beware -- former Democratic Party Chair John Walsh says Baker is a strong supporter of his one-time employer, the Pioneer Institute, which describes itself as independent and non-partisan. Walsh says it generates libertarian, hard right wing ideas.

"Now he's learned last time, that what he really believes is not that well received in Massachusetts so he is trying to pick up some symbols," said Walsh.

Symbols, Walsh says, like appearing with his daughter in his first TV commercial. Walsh urges voters to listen closely to the policy message when Baker says how he will make Massachusetts great.

In the TV ad, Baker says he will do it, "by controling spending, lowering taxes and requiring work for welfare."

"When he sits on the porch with his daughter and rolls out cutting taxes, lower government spending and make people on welfare pay - that's a traditional hard right wing platform and that's going to be the debate we have," said Walsh.

Baker reacted recently to a similar charge saying, "I think that's a ridiculous claim. I'm a Bill Weld/Paul Cellucci/Charlie Baker Republican. I'm a Massachusetts Republican and voters in Mass. know what that means."

The Baker Campaign says Coakley has failed to articulate any new ideas and voters are rejecting her negative attacks. 

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