Coakley Way in Front in Bid to Fill Kennedy's Seat

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley holds a big lead over rivals for the Democratic nomination for the seat of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, with better than a two-to-one lead over her nearest opponent,according to a Western New England College Polling Institute survey conducted Oct. 18-22.

Coakley is backed by 37 percent of voters compared to 14 percent for businessman Steve Pagliuca (who also is a managing partner of the Boston Celtics) and 13 percent for six-term Rep. Mike Capuano, with all others in the low single digits. Twenty-six percent are undecided as the Dec. 8 primary approaches.

Coakley is the best known of the group, with only 17 percent saying they haven't heard of her compared to 30 percent for Capuano and 29 percent for Pagliuca. She also has the highest favorability numbers with 43 percent seeing her positively compared to 27 percent each for Capuano and Pagliuca.

"With six weeks to go until the primary, the Democratic nomination is Martha Coakley's to lose," said Tim Vercellotti, co-director of the Polling Institute.

The Democratic candidates had their first debate this week. The Boston Globe said all sought to "play to a liberal base and win recognition as the rightful heir to the seat" once held by Kennedy. The seat is currently being filled by former Democratic Party chairman Paul Kirk, who was appointed by Gov. Deval Patrick. Kirk is serving on an interim basis and is not a candidate.

Matched up against state Sen. Scott Brown, the likely GOP candidate, for the Jan. 19 special election, Coakley leads 58 percent to 32 percent among likely voters with 13 percent undecided. She has a 51 percent to 29 percent edge over Brown among independents.