Massachusetts Treasurer Steve Grossman is racking up endorsements in his bid for governor as the contest for the Democratic Party nomination enters an important phase.
Former Vermont Governor and one-time presidential hopeful Howard Dean is the latest Democrat to endorse Grossman in this year’s Massachusetts gubernatorial race. During a conference call with reporters, Dean praised Grossman as a great force for progressive leadership in the Democratic party. He singled out Grossman’s commitment to economic fairness through his support for legislation to raise the minimum wage and require paid sick-leave.
" I think he would be a fantastic governor. This is going to be a governorship of substance over style and I think that is very much what people in Massachsuetts are looking for."
Dean also praised Grossman’s record as state treasurer saying he had saved state taxpayers money and made government more transparent by putting the state’s checkbook online.
" Through the small business banking partnership program he has created a number of jobs, which is really extraordinary for a treasurer because it is not an office where you can easily do those kind of thinkgs. If there is any adjective or quality that describes Steve Grossman it is determination."
Dean said what sets Grossman apart from the other Democratic candidates for governor is Grossman’s experience as an executive running his own business.
" He looks at the facts, makes a decision and doesn't hesitate when something has to be done."
Grossman, who like Dean was once chairman of the national Democratic Party said he was deeply grateful for the endorsement.
" Your philosophy and my philosophy are identical -- compete everywhere and build an army of activists -- because that is how you win campaigns, but more than that it is how you change lives."
Dean’s endorsement of Grossman comes ahead of the Democratic caucuses that will be held across the state from February 8th through March 2nd. Party activists, who tend to be more progressive than the electorate as a whole, will caucus and elect delegates to the state convention in June.
Grossman said Dean has committed to campaign with him at two events in Boston on April 4th.
Other Democrats running for governor in Massachusetts are Attorney General Martha Coakley, Don Berwick, the former administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, former homeland security official Juliette Kayyem and Joe Avellone, a biotech company executive.
Grossman also nailed down an endorsement from the mayor of the state’s third largest city. Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno had signaled last fall that he would throw his support behind Grossman. Sarno made it official last Friday when he and Grossman were interviewed at the offices of the Republican Newspaper in Springfield.
In a portion of the interview recorded and posted on MassLive, Sarno said he believed a Grossman governorship would be beneficial to Springfield.
Sarno praised Grossman for keeping a pledge to secure state funding so that two schools damaged in the June 1, 2011 tornado could be rebuilt without costing Springfield taxpayers any money.
" He said I am going to work hard to make Springfield whole."
Grossman has also been endorsed by long-time Hampden County Sheriff Mike Ashe.
