Warren Gets Behind Clinton — And Other Mass. Political Players Look Ahead To General Election

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren is among the latest Democrats to formally endorse Hillary Clinton for president.

"I am ready to get in this fight and work my heart out for Hillary Clinton to become the next president of the United States and to make sure Donald Trump never gets any place close to the White House," she said.

Warren's endorsement on MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show" came hours after President Obama gave his backing to the party's presumptive nominee.

Democrats and Republicans in Massachusetts are both turning their attention now to the general election.

Take Dan Wolf, for example. He's a Democratic state Senator from Cape Cod and the CEO of Cape Air. He's also a Bernie Sanders delegate to the Democratic National Convention. Wolf remains committed to the Vermont Senator's presidential campaign — and he rejects calls that Sanders should exit the race now.

"My response is it's time to fan the flame that Bernie has lit," Wolf explained. "He really has made a huge impact on the Democratic Party, and going forward, I think the question is: What do we do with that impact? It's a time to look ahead, to make sure that we keep on moving, keep that march going."

As to when Sanders should officially quit the race, Wolf said he trusts Sanders to make that call.

Another Sanders supports is Paul Mark, a state rep from Berkshire County. He's the co-chair of the Sanders Massachusetts campaign. He points out there's still one primary left — in Washington, D.C. next week — and said Sanders made a commitment to compete in every primary and caucus.

"So in fairness to the voters and the people who have been supporting him, I think it makes sense for him to stay in until at least next week," Mark said.

Sanders 'Doesn't Want To Be A Spoiler'

Speaking in California Tuesday night, Sanders sounded like he had no intention of backing down from the race any time soon.

"And then we take our fight for social, racial and environmental justice to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania!" he said to cheers.

But, that same night, Sanders said he "will not let ring-wing Republicans," especially Donald Trump, "control our government."

"Bernie Sanders does not want Donald Trump to be leader of the free world," said Vermont Gov. Pete Shumlin, who is supporting Hillary Clinton but calls himself "a friend of Bernie Sanders." He said he has no doubt his friend will eventually get behind Clinton.

"He has huge respect for Hillary Clinton. He likes her," Shumlin said. "And he's told me very clearly that he doesn't want to be a spoiler, that he wants to elect a Democratic president, and we're going to be OK."

Susan Tracy agrees that Democrats "are going to be OK." Tracy, a former state representative and president of The Strategy Group in Boston is a Clinton supporter.

"Certainly, I'd like to see the party come together," she said. "They have to get there on their own."

If the Democrats have some bridge-building to do, the Republicans have to span the Grand Canyon dividing their party — particularly here in New England.

Mass. Republicans Massively Divided Over Trump

Gov. Charlie Baker says he won't support Donald Trump. Neither will two other former Massachusetts Republican governors — Mitt Romney and Bill Weld, who's running for vice president as a Libertarian.

"I don't think [Trump] represents the Republican Party," said Fergus Cullen, former GOP chair of New Hampshire. "I am worried that he will tar the Republican Party and all of our other candidates, not only for this election, but for future cycles as well."

Cullen is appalled by Trump's long string of offensive statements about Muslims, women and immigrants, including recent remarks about the federal judge overseeing the case against Trump University, which House Speaker Paul Ryan called a "textbook definition of a racist remark."

But Geoff Diehl, a state representative from Plymouth and co-chair of the Trump campaign in Massachusetts, has a much more positive view of the presumptive Republican nominee.

"You know, there's been three or four times when people say the Trump campaign is over based on what he said, but the fact of the matter is, there's always truth to what he's talking about," Diehl said. "And he knows he has an in-artful way of saying it, because we're not used to politicians saying it this certain way."

Speaking on Tuesday night in New York, Trump alluded to future criticisms of Hillary Clinton.

"I am going to give a major speech, and we're going to be discussing all the things that are taking place with the Clintons. I think you're going to find it very informative, and very, very interesting," he said to cheers.

Diehl predicts a bruising general election campaign between the billionaire businessman and Clinton.

"People are going to attack Trump from here to November with just about everything. In fact, I expect Trump steaks will supposedly somehow ruin everyone's barbecue, according to Clinton, before this summer is over," he said.

If Trump Steaks become part of the debate, it wouldn't be the first presidential election in which someone asked, "Where's the beef?"