Coakley Has Big Lead in Race for Kennedy's Seat

Attorney General Martha Coakley is far ahead of the Democratic pack in the race for the party's nomination for the seat held by the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, garnering 43 percent of likely voters compared to 22 percent for Rep. Michael Capuano, and 15 percent for Boston Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca, according to a Boston Globe poll conducted Nov. 13-18.

Alan Kazei, co-founder of City Year, a kind of domestic Peace Corps, polled 6 percent. Thirteen percent are undecided.

Even though the December 8 primary is fast approaching, many voters have not firmly made up their minds. Only 26 percent have definitely decided for whom they will vote, 24 percent are leaning to one candidate or another, and 50 percent are still trying to make a final decision.

Thirty-eight percent of voters cited health care reform as the most important issue in the race while 28 percent cite the economy.