Vicki Kennedy To Endorse Coakley In Senate Race

The widow of Sen. Edward Kennedy is endorsing fellow Democrat Martha Coakley in the election to succeed her late husband.

Coakley's campaign announced Wednesday that Vicki Kennedy will declare her backing for Coakley on Thursday at a senior citizens center in Coakley's hometown of Medford.

Former Rep. Joseph Kennedy and Kennedy's interim replacement, Sen. Paul Kirk, also will attend.

Vicki Kennedy avoided endorsing any candidate during the primary campaign. But she supported Coakley after she won the Dec. 8 election against Rep. Michael Capuano, City Year co-founder Alan Khazei and Boston Celtics co-owner Stephen Pagliuca.

The endorsement comes after some family members accused Coakley of moving too aggressively to prepare her campaign as the senator suffered from brain cancer.

Kennedy died in August.