# Election 2006: Best of choices



## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

*Fat Teddy ???????????????*

By *Boston Herald editorial staff*
Monday, November 6, 2006 - Updated: 12:53 AM EST

*C*itizens of Massachusetts, it is nearly safe now to answer the phone, turn the TV back on, resume your pre-election season routine - and for goodness sake get out and vote.


It's the very least you owe those who have campaigned so long and so very hard to get your attention throughout a grueling political process in this the era of the near-perpetual campaign.

In the past two weeks the Herald has endorsed a number of candidates in races on tomorrow's ballot. Today we'd like to remind you of those:

*In the U.S. Senate:* The legendary *Edward M. Kennedy*, who has served nearly 44 years in the Senate, has lost none of his energy and surely none of his considerable clout in recent years. He remains Massachusetts' not-so-secret weapon on Capitol Hill and one we cannot afford to lose, not that there's much risk of that this year. Still the Herald is pleased to endorse him for re-election.

 *For governor:* Republican Lt. Gov. *Kerry Healey* is the last bulwark against a return to single party rule in this state - a state of affairs that ought to make taxpayers shudder as they remember how cavalierly the Democrats in the Legislature ignored the will of voters on reducing the state income tax. Healey has also been strong and tough on the issues that really matter - in education, support for charter schools, MCAS as a graduation requirement and merit pay for teachers. And she has promoted real reforms at the local level that could, if implemented, bring down property taxes. Healey is well prepared to the be the state's next governor. 
 *For attorney general:* Middlesex District Attorney *Martha Coakley* also has the best background imaginable to serve the state in a new and broader role. Her law enforcement experience has, of course, been invaluable, but beyond that she brings a range of talents, along with passion and commitment. The transfer of office from *Tom Reilly* to Coakley should be seamless. 
*For state Senate:* In the Second Suffolk District it's high time to send the ethically tone-deaf *Dianne Wilkerson* packing and the highly qualified candidate able and willing to do that is *Samiyah Diaz*. This law school student was willing to take on the job even before Wilkerson had to run a sticker campaign to even get on the ballot. Diaz is simply the right woman for the job and it's high time for a change.


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