O'Brien Tops Field at Democrat Convention No Candidate Left Behind As All Five Gubernatorial Hopefuls Make Primary Ballot By Curt Lovelace May 3, 2002

Massachusetts Democrats endorsed State Treasurer Shannon O'Brien as their gubernatorial candidate.

After more than seven hours of balloting on Saturday, Massachusetts Democrats endorsed State Treasurer Shannon O'Brien as their gubernatorial candidate. That's only a very small portion of the story, however.

After the first ballot, which took approximately three hours to count, four candidates had gained the required 15 percent delegate vote to be placed on the ballot for the September 17 state primary. On that first ballot Senate President Tom Birmingham had 30.5 percent of the vote, O'Brien had 30.1, businessman and Democrat activist Steve Grossman had a surprising 21.9 percent and former Labor Secretary Robert Reich garnered 15.85 percent. Only clean elections candidate and former State Senator Warren Tolman was left out in the cold with a dismal 1.6 percent. That would soon be rectified.

After the first ballot, which took approximately three hours to count, four candidates had gained the required 15 percent delegate vote to be placed on the ballot for the September 17 state primary. On that first ballot Senate President Tom Birmingham, pictured here, had 30.5 percent of the vote, O'Brien had 30.

Immediately upon hearing the results, both Grossman and Reich withdrew from the second and any subsequent ballots. This freed up their delegates, as Reich urged them, to vote their own consciences. Most in the hall was aware that several deals were in the works and it had been obvious that Tolman supporters had thrown their weight behind Grossman on the first ballot. Lo and behold, Tolman emerged from the second round of balloting with 28.4 percent of the total. This assured every candidate a spot on that primary ballot for September and left a lot of people throughout the Worcester Centrum Centre asking openly what had been the point of this convention "charade," as some called it. As if on cue, Tolman made his way to the podium and withdrew from further balloting.

Immediately upon hearing the results, both Grossman and Reich withdrew from the second and any subsequent ballots. This freed up their delegates, as Reich urged them, to vote their own consciences. Most in the hall was aware that several deals were in the works and it had been obvious that Tolman supporters had thrown their weight behind Grossman on the first ballot.

Lo and behold, Tolman emerged from the second round of balloting with 28.4 percent of the total. This assured every candidate a spot on that primary ballot for September and left a lot of people throughout the Worcester Centrum Centre asking openly what had been the point of this convention "charade," as some called it. As if on cue, Tolman made his way to the podium and withdrew from further balloting.

The scene was now set for the final runoff of the day between the two frontrunners, Birmingham and O'Brien. The final tally was 52.9 percent for O'Brien, as opposed to 47.1 percent for Birmingham. When that announcement was made, balloting was already taking place for the Lt. Governor candidates, but all else was anti-climactic. The hall began to empty.

One note that characterized all the speeches on this marathon day was a posture of defensiveness. Although all laid claim to being more liberal and progressive than the next, none attacked any other Democrat candidate. Each sounded the same note, "Send Mitt back to Utah."

Top vote-getter O'Brien summed up the fears of all the candidates. She told the 5800 delegates, "Our opponent is formidable. He will raise millions from conservatives in Utah and across the country, and spend millions from his own bank account. To win, we need to nominate a leader with unquestioned Democratic values, with a proven record as a strong fiscal manager, and the ability to attract independent voters to our side of this important fight."

Steve Grossman, himself a wealthy businessman, opened his speech by declaring, "We are here today, united in one single purpose - to send Willard Mitt Romney back to Salt Lake City, and I'm the guy to send him." He then listed a litany of Romney business practices with which he disagrees.

Each candidate promised party unity, declaring that no matter who wins in September, each will support the party candidate in the general election in November. Unity was strained on the floor of the convention several times, however.

When Grossman withdrew from the balloting after the first vote, he left several Tolman supporters feeling betrayed. One Tolman delegate told Massachusetts News, "If we're gonna be pushing all this Democratic unity, he [Grossman] should have been specific and mentioned names. He should have urged delegates to get Tolman on the primary ballot."

When Shannon O'Brien made a nominating speech for her unofficial, but wealthy, running mate, Chris Gabrieli, a representative of the John Slattery for Lt. Governor campaign came rushing into the press room to tell everybody, "that is absolutely not supposed to be happening. Party officials told me specifically that candidates would not appear together."

Democrats have a history of making up and moving forward together, even after rough and tumble primary battles. Although feathers were ruffled at the 2002 State democratic Convention, the party faithful are moving ahead together in their stated goal of sending Mitt back to Salt Lake City.