Democratic gubernatorial candidate and state Treasurer Steve Grossman put some daylight Tuesday between himself and Gov. Deval Patrick.
"I've been critical of the governor on the Connector website," Grossman told Morning Edition host Bob Seay. "When the Connector website failed, the governor handed out or gave a no-bid contract to a new firm coming in. I said I don't think that's a good idea. I put everything out to bid as state treasurer that was under my responsibility. The goal of the governor is to make sure that every one of those $23 billion of tax revenue, or tax dollars, is spent wisely. So I said there'll be no no-bid contracts under Gov. Grossman. So there are fundamental differences. You do have to manage, you do have to lead, and fiscal discipline and responsibility are absolutely critical."
Grossman also touted his entrepreneurship experience as a key difference between himself and Patrick while praising the governor for his leadership during the Great Recession. Grossman said he wants to build on Patrick's life sciences, renewable energy, and clean tech policies "from the perspective of small business owner."
Grossman saved his sharpest words for his Democratic gubernatorial primary competition, Attorney General Martha Coakley, repeatedly contrasting himself as a "progressive job creator" with Coakley as a "career prosecutor."
"She blows in the wind," Grossman said. "And that's not the kind of decisive, definitive leadership that people want from their governor. People agree, they disagree with the governor. But you want to be able to look in the eye and say, 'Who are you, what do you stand for, what's the kind of leadership you're going to provide?' Not take one position as attorney general and say, 'Well, as AG I was over here, but now as candidate for governor, I'm over here. That undermines, I think, one's credibility, and I think your credibility is all you've got in life."
Grossman reiterated a previous criticism of Coakley as flip-flopping on criminal justice issues.
"Secure Communities — she was a big supporter of Secure Communities. Now she's not sure," Grossman said. "She continues to support the unlimited sale of guns in Massachusetts. I stand with Deval Patrick. We should limit the sale of guns. She basically takes the position of the NRA."
After winning the nomination of the state Democratic convention in June but lagging consistently behind Coakley in the polls, Grossman believes his campaign is narrowing the gap.
"I've got an army of passionate, energized, engaged, activists behind me, all over the state," he said. "That's how we won the convention, that's how we'll win the nomination. It is about energy, passion and excitement."
