Endorsements

Moday's gubernatorial debate was a reminder of what a bleak political season this has been. Sniping and negative campaigning have all but drowned out any kind of serious discussion about where the state is headed. Yet voters have important choices to make on November 3, from selecting the state's chief executive to a series of important ballot questions.

Constitutional offices

Governor. The difference between the contenders for governor is stark. One wants to govern. The other merely wishes to be governor.

The Phoenix endorses Attorney General Scott Harshbarger, a progressive Democrat who promises to restore an activist vision to state government while not abandoning the hard-won, bipartisan fiscal restraint that has defined Beacon Hill in the 1990s.

Harshbarger knows what he believes in and will fight hard for it. He has shown an admirable willingness to challenge powerful institutions, from the tobacco lobby to well-connected officials of his own party. Less than a year after the legislature came within one vote of passing a death-penalty law, Harshbarger's staunch opposition to capital punishment is our best insurance against a return to this barbaric practice. And his humane approach to social ills such as homelessness and poverty will serve as a crucial counterbalance to the state's welfare-reform law, which kicks in fully later this year.

Harshbarger's Republican opponent, Acting Governor Paul Cellucci, has already shown how he will govern: very little. The fact that he has run such a spirited (if negative) campaign is in itself evidence of his cynicism, given the lassitude of his governance until recently. Cellucci has allowed his administration to be overrun with influence peddlers. Emblematic of this is his refusal to fire insurance commissioner Linda Ruthardt, who has presided over a lucrative, anti-consumer "reform" known by the unwieldy name of demutualization.

The recent Cellucci ad mocking the legal assistance Harshbarger gave to witches who had been discriminated against offered some useful insight into how Cellucci and the people around him view unconventional thinking. The Phoenix twice endorsed Cellucci's predecessor and "co-governor," Bill Weld; but Cellucci has none of Weld's creativity and intellectual curiosity. Cellucci is a status quo governor for times that will demand more.

Harshbarger's running mate, state senator Warren Tolman, is a veteran legislator and committee chair who is well positioned to serve as outsider Harshbarger's bridge to the legislature. Cellucci's running mate, former state senator Jane Swift, is an energetic campaigner, but her youth and inexperience would leave her with a steep learning curve should she ever be called upon to serve as acting governor.

Together, Harshbarger and Tolman are the team that will best serve Massachusetts.

Attorney General. For the state's top law-enforcement official, the best choice is Democrat Tom Reilly, an experienced prosecutor who has been the district attorney for Middlesex County. Reilly is a focused and aggressive lawyer who will pursue the state's cases with passion.

The Phoenix has some reservations about Reilly. He, like his opponent, supports the death penalty. And as his career has developed, his prosecutorial vision has narrowed. But Reilly's opponent, Brad Bailey, doesn't have the experience the office demands, and his troubled tenure as Middlesex County sheriff raises too many questions about his judgment.

We endorse Reilly and hope that, with this new position, he will return to his roots, to a broader view of fighting crime that goes beyond merely locking up criminals.

Treasurer. The treasurer is charged with managing the state's pension funds and overseeing the lottery. But the office has wider possibilities. A creative treasurer can use the state's investments to leverage important social goals. Democrat Shannon O'Brien, a former state representative and state senator, is the candidate who best understands that. An O'Brien victory would also be a historic one: only once before has a woman been elected to statewide office in Massachusetts.

Auditor. The auditor's mission is to uncover waste, fraud, and abuse in state government. To do that, the people need a candidate who combines political savvy with the courage to expose powerful allies. Joe DeNucci, the Democratic incumbent, has shown he can handle the pressures. DeNucci has issued hard-hitting reports on everything from the Big Dig to education, and he should be returned to office to continue his good work.

Secretary of State. The Democratic incumbent, William Galvin, has brought a rare energy to his duties, computerizing much of the office's archaic record-keeping. He has overseen the elections, one of his most important duties, with fairness. He is clearly the most qualified candidate in the race, and the Phoenix endorses him.

It is important to note, though, that there is also a Libertarian candidate for this office, David Atkinson. This race probably represents the Libertarians' best shot at the 3 percent vote they need for major-party status in the state. With Galvin already heavily favored to win, a vote for Atkinson would also be a vote well cast.

Referenda

No on Question 1. The legislature has proposed a constitutional amendment that would grant it automatic pay increases. Although the current system is certainly messy, and although the Phoenix supports higher pay for legislators, this question would take an important political question out of the political arena. It would remove a critical piece of legislative accountability. We urge a no vote.

Yes on Question 2. The nation's political system faces a crisis of confidence on all levels. Question 2 aims to restore some faith in the process by limiting the role that money plays in politics.

The proposal, which would provide public funding to all serious candidates for legislative or statewide constitutional offices who agree to spending limits, is not perfect. Some worry that the limits it imposes constitute a limit on free speech. And there is always the danger that the measure will have unintended consequences.

But it is also clear that this system will help break the hold of special interests and encourage more people to run for office. A yes vote will send a message to Beacon Hill -- and the country.

No on Question 4. Ballot questions are a blunt instrument. Nowhere is this more apparent than on Question 4, which asks voters to pass judgment on a bafflingly complex piece of legislation, the deregulation of the electric utilities.

The law, which was passed last winter, has many laudable aspects. It injects market competition into a heavily regulated industry and cuts costs for consumers across the state. The regulated approach resulted in high prices and inefficient, polluting power plants.

But this deal is fatally flawed. A classic case of industry getting its way on Beacon Hill, the law leaves consumers, not shareholders, paying for between $8 billion and $12 billion in bad utility investments. A fair deal would split the cost. We urge voters to ignore all the slick advertising paid for by the utilities. Vote no on 4. Tell the legislature it must do better.

US Congress

Third District. Jim McGovern has had an impressive freshman year, making a mark in education and the environment. He has fought ably for his district and for the state -- and demonstrated an ability to forge good relations with the White House. In this surprisingly hard-fought battle for reelection, he deserves your vote.

Sixth District. In just two years, Democrat John Tierney has established himself as an innovative progressive in the tradition of Michael Harrington, an antiwar stalwart who represented the district three decades ago. Tierney's has been a strong voice for public education, for the environment, and for health care, and he has won plaudits for his efforts to protect Social Security and Medicare and to reform the corrupt campaign-finance system. He, like McGovern, is a dedicated progressive who represents his district with energy.

Eighth District. The Democratic primary in the Eighth District was one of the political season's hardest-fought battles. The winner, Somerville mayor Mike Capuano, is a straight-talking, passionate man with a fix on what concerns voters -- and how to help them. Anthony Schinella, a populist gadfly who has run an independent campaign for the seat, deserves credit for his provocative criticisms of free trade and of the growing similarities between the Democratic and Republican Parties. But Capuano is the clear choice.

The Phoenix endorsements in the other congressional districts are John Olver (First), Richard Neal (Second), Barney Frank (Fourth), Marty Meehan (Fifth), Ed Markey (Seventh), Joe Moakley (Ninth), and Bill Delahunt (Tenth).

State legislature

In the Senate, Cynthia Creem won the Democratic primary in the fight to represent Brookline. She earned the Phoenix's endorsement for the primary, and she deserves to win the general election.

In the House, Peabody's John Slattery cast the vote that defeated the death penalty. He is a courageous, principled legislator who has more than earned another term. The Back Bay, meanwhile, has the chance to vote for a change: Republican Chris Caputo. Caputo would be a young, independent, and energetic advocate for the neighborhood. Two other worthy candidates whom the Phoenix endorsed in the Democratic primary have progressed to the general election: Central Square's Jarrett Barrios and South End veteran Byron Rushing.

Other offices

In Middlesex County, Democrat Martha Coakley is an intelligent, tough, articulate prosecutor. Her work in the DA's office gives her the experience she will need to lead it.

Republican Jeffrey Locke was appointed Norfolk County DA by Weld when Bill Delahunt was elected to Congress. He is one of the Weld appointees who, like Suffolk County DA Ralph Martin, have proved to be nonpartisan professionals. He opposes the death penalty. He is an able prosecutor who, if reelected, will continue to serve voters well.

Republican Frank Cousins was appointed Essex County sheriff by Weld after the elected Democrat, Charles Reardon, was convicted on corruption charges. He, too, is a professional who has earned another term.

What do you think? Send an e-mail to letters[a]phx.com.