Endorsements In Senate Race

Former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis will endorse Congressman Michael Capuano Sunday and the Boston Globe has endorsed City Year co-founder Alan Khazei in the Senate special election.

Dukakis' backing of the six-term congressman to succeed the late Sen. Edward Kennedy marks the first time since leaving office in 1990 that he has endorsed any Democrat running for statewide office in a primary. Dukakis was scheduled to appear with Capuano at a campaign event in Brookline Sunday afternoon.

The Boston Globe lauded Khazei's energy and said he "offers a strong vision for success in the Senate." Democratic political analyst Daniel Payne said the newspaper's endorsement is significant. "Khazei has been running something of a loner's campaign that hasn't picked up much support except in Hollywood and now this is a major boost to his candidacy" Payne said. "It probably won't put him over the top, but it may put him in a solid third place."

The endorsements come as Capuano and Khazei compete with Attorney General Martha Coakley, the front-runner and only woman in the campaign and Boston Celtics co-owner Stephen Pagliuca for the Democratic nomination.

The four Democratic and two Republican candidates have just over a week to make their final pitches before the Dec. 8 runoff. Republicans Scott Brown and Jack E. Robinson are vying for their party's nomination.

The special election is set for Jan. 19.