Attorney General Seat Opens As Coakley Runs For Governor

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley's decision to jump into the 2014 governor's race is expected to touch off a scramble to fill her seat as the state's top law enforcement official.

Coakley was first elected AG in 2006 and easily won re-election in 2010 after losing a special U.S. Senate race to Republican Scott Brown.

Coakley's decision to seek the state's top political office means there will be an open race for the attorney general's office next year.

Typically the state's district attorneys are considered front-runners for attorney general. Coakley served as Middlesex District Attorney before being elected to the top post.

Coakley's predecessor, former Attorney General Tom Reilly, was also a Middlesex District Attorney as was Reilly's predecessor, former Attorney General Scott Harshbarger.

Reilly and Harshbarger both ran for governor and lost.

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