Coakley Pulls Papers For AG Run

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Martha Coakley's picking herself up from a demoralizing defeat three weeks ago and planning another campaign — this time to hold onto the position's she's got.

One of the city's favorite daughters announced today over Twitter that she will stand for re-election to attorney general.

"Today I pulled papers to seek re-election as Attorney General. Right now, I'm meeting with volunteers planning our signature drive!" she tweeted at about 6:30 p.m.

The news isn't a suprise; aides had been saying she'd run for another term within days of her Senate defeat.

Coakley had been the front-runner in the special election to fill the late Ted Kennedy's U.S. Senate seat. But laidback campaign and an energetic Republican challenger caught the well-heeled Coakley and the Democratic machine off-guard. Scott Brown, a then state senator from Wrentham and former Cosmopolitan centerfold, decisively defeated the attorney general on Jan. 19. Brown was sworn into the Senate last Thursday.

Coakley's run for attorney general four years ago was a cakewalk. The Middlesex DA had barely-there challenger Larry Frisoli, whom she didn't even bother to debate. She'd pretty much been handed the job after the Democratic primary back in 2006. (Which many may have thought would be repeated in the Senate election.)

The Drury High grad could face tougher opposition this time around. Republicans emboldened by Brown's stunning victory and Democrats sniffing weakness may give her run for the money.

Either way, we bet she can count on the county to back her again. Western Mass. went deep blue on Jan. 19 for the Berkshires girl who pledged to always remember who and where we are.