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By Patrick McGroarty
News Editor
Deval Patrick dominated the Dorchester
electorate on his way to a resounding statewide
victory in the Democratic primary election on
Tuesday.
The former civic rights lawyer and corporate
executive won in all of the five wards that include
a portion of Dorchester and received over a
thousand votes more than either of his challengers
in wards 15 and 17.
Statewide, Patrick received 50 percent of the
vote, while businessman Chris Gabrieli received 27
percent and Attorney General Tom Reilly earned 23
percent.
Voter turnout was strong across Dorchester,
contrary to predictions by Secretary of State
William Galvin that the primary would draw fewer
than 20 percent of registered voters. Many
political insiders had suggested that a low turnout
would benefit Patrick, who was thought of as more
left-leaning than his primary challengers, because
die-hard primary voters tend to be more liberal. A
larger turnout was portrayed as beneficial to
Gabrieli and Reilly because they were more likely
to appeal to independent voters.
But at polling places on Tuesday, some election
officials said that many voters appeared to be
energized by the gubernatorial race, and in
particular by Patrick.
At the Mildred Avenue Middle School, elections
warden Nancy Norwood said her precinct of 17-7 has
seen turnout as low as 56 voters in primary
elections. On Tuesday, 160 people in 17-7 had voted
by the time polls closed at 8 p.m and all but 10 of
them chose Patrick.
"I think it's been years since we've had a
strong black candidate," said Michelle Braxton of
Dorchester after voting at the school. "I think
he's representative of a majority of the city."
Norris Jones, another election warden stationed
at Mildred Ave., said turnout was high among
infrequent voters.
"We've seen a lot of people who haven't voted in
four years or more, inactive voters or people who
have moved," said Jones. "We've had to send a
percentage of people to other places to vote."
As evidence for Patrick's commanding victory
became more concrete on Tuesday evening, he
appeared before a crowded ballroom of supporters at
the Fairmont Copley Hotel and thanked them for
being a part of what he described as an "engine of
change."
"Tonight's victory belongs to the countless
numbers of you that voted for the first time, or
the first time in a very long while," he told the
crowd.
Patrick appealed to Democrats to unite behind
his attempt to become the first Democratic Governor
of the Commonwealth in 16 years. Patrick would also
be just the second African American Governor
elected in the U.S. Joined onstage by Gabrieli,
Patrick said was grateful for the support of his
former opponents in the general election.
"I welcome their pledge of support and council
in the coming weeks and in the coming years, and
I'm proud to be a member of a party that counts
them both among it's leaders," he said.
Patrick's attempt to move quickly into a unified
campaign squared with comments made earlier Tuesday
by several city elected officials who had endorsed
Reilly.
"Whatever happens after today, we're going to
work toward a Democratic victory together," said
Mayor Thomas Menino as he appeared outside Florian
Hall in support of Reilly. Reilly was the only
gubernatorial candidate to visit Dorchester on
Friday, and chose to appear at Florian Hall, a
conservative Democratic stronghold that had been
identified as crucial to Reilly's success in
Dorchester. Only weeks before, a contingent of
Dorchester politicians had joined there with a
phalanx of union supporters to rally behind the
Attorney General. But after the votes were tallied
Tuesday night, Reilly had won only one of Florian's
two precincts, and he had fallen short of Patrick
in Ward 16 by about 30 votes.
"Deval Patrick ran an exceptional campaign, he
did a lot of things right and he's a good man,"
said State Representative Martin Walsh. "I think it
has more to do with that than with any statement
against someone… It doesn't necessarily have
to do with any representatives that support
[Reilly]."
Walsh also suggested that the labor push had not
made a marked difference for Reilly because labor
support was divided.
"All three candidates have strong backing and
respect of the unions, and they were split for this
election. I can tell you that labor is going to be
a big force in the elections in November."
Worcester Mayor Tim Murray also passed through
Florian Hall on his way to claiming the Democratic
nomination for Lieutenant Governor on Tuesday.
The race for Lieutenant Governor was closer than
that for the corner office, but Murray still posted
a decisive victory with 43 percent of the
electorate compared to 34 percent for Deborah
Goldberg, a former Brookline selectwoman, and 23
percent for Cape Cod businesswoman Andrea
Silbert.
Murray was the only candidate for Lieutenant
Governor to stop in Dorchester on Primary Day, and
he benefited from some of the same local support
that greeted Tom Reilly later in the afternoon.
City Councillor Maureen Feeeny and State Senator
Jack Hart both endorsed Murray and Reilly despite
conventional wisdom that the pairing would not be
an ideal ticket.
"As I've stood here, I've seen people in every
gubernatorial camp come through, and they all had
Tim Murray buttons on," said Feeney. "I think
whatever the ticket is in November, we need him
there."
Richard O'Mara, a ward 16 activist and owner of
the Cedar Grove Gardens, said he believed
Democratic activists were ready to rally behind a
candidate for the general election. Standing
outside Florian Hall as a Patrick supporter, he
said he had not yet voted because he was unsure
whom to pick in the Lieutenant Governor's race.
"A major factor is what will strengthen the
ticket if Deval wins," he said.
After accepting the Democratic nomination in
Worcester, Murray rushed back to Boston to appear
beside Patrick at the tail end of his acceptance
speech. Moments before joining hands with Murray,
Patrick asked his supporters to shift their focus
from the race behind them to the battle ahead. He
moved comfortably to the offensive, attacking the
Romney/Healey administration for their policies on
education and their funding of violence and drug
prevention programs.
"I don't have all the answers, no candidate
does, but I do bring a broader range of leadership
experience in government, in business, in
non-profits, in community groups than any other
candidate in this race," said Patrick.
-Dave Benoit contributed to this
report
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