Democrats in ad ask Healey to remove itThey praised her but back PatrickBy Lisa Wangsness, Globe Staff | October 2, 2006
A quartet of Democratic lawmakers featured in the latest television
commercial of Republican gubernatorial nominee Kerry Healey called
on the lieutenant governor yesterday to remove the ad, saying it
gave the false impression that they had endorsed her.
The ad shows the lawmakers at a bill-signing ceremony last month,
during which they heaped praise on Healey for helping to pass
legislation extending the statute of limitations on sex crimes.
State Senator Steven A. Baddour of Methuen , whom the ad
captures declaring that Healey "deserves a great deal of admiration
and respect," said yesterday that he and his colleagues strongly
support Deval L. Patrick in the Nov. 7 election.
"It's been twisted to appear as though I am endorsing Kerry Healey,
when in fact nothing could be further from the truth," Baddour said
at a news conference at the Patrick headquarters in Charlestown
yesterday. He was flanked by Democratic legislators who insisted
that comments they had made about Patrick were misinterpreted
by the Healey campaign and the media.
The Healey campaign, which is working to overcome a huge deficit
in the polls and high negative ratings, refused to take the ad off
the air. A Globe poll published yesterday showed Healey trailing
Patrick by 25 points. The poll also suggested that 42 percent of
respondents viewed Healey unfavorably, compared with 40 percent
who viewed her favorably. The ad, which began running Saturday,
is the only commercial the Healey campaign is airing this week.
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