Some of those activists are jumping on board. “It reminds me very much of 1982, when a young John Kerry ran for lieutenant governor,” says Deb Kozikowski, vice-chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party. Kozikowski has endorsed Khazei, though she didn’t know him prior to a small, informal meet-and-greet in Springfield a few weeks ago.
Enthusiastic crowds have begun greeting Khazei at his campaign appearances, and volunteers are flocking to help the campaign. Khazei’s underdog status is clearly part of his appeal: progressive activists are often drawn to battling long odds against the establishment’s choice. It’s not hard to see Khazei in that role, against front-runner Coakley and Washington insider Capuano.
“They’re both good people, with good track records,” Khazei says of his main opponents. But “we voted for change in November. Now, how do we get it done?”
To read the “Talking Politics” blog, go to thePhoenix.com/talkingpolitics. David S. Bernstein can be reached at dbernstein[a]phx.com.
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