Endorsements from elected officials have been descending on mayoral candidate Marty Walsh like autumn leaves. John Connolly is getting his fair share of the fall’s bounty too.

Should you care?

Observers differ on how effective endorsements are. If they are heartfelt and a voter likes the endorser, it might have an effect. But voters can also feel bullied—who are you to suggest whom I should vote for?

There’s a risk for an elected official in endorsing a candidate. What if their candidate doesn’t win? The losing endorser will have to work with the winner on all kinds of problems, and tension could fill the air. Continue reading →