Adding to today's discussion (and charges of crack smoking), the two state house candidates who want a general election endorsement from the 34th District Democrats write in to say yes, an endorsement from the group can make a difference.

Mike Heavey:

The 34th District endorsement matters and I will be seeking the endorsement. You could point at a lot of races that the 34th LD has endorsed in and say it doesn’t matter. But when you have a group of committed like minded individuals fighting for you, it is invaluable to have that base of support. I don’t care to make any prediction.

Joe Fitzgibbon:

I am definitely seeking it. I won't predict which way they'll go, but I think the fact that I've been a member of the group and a PCO since 2007, the relationships I have in the district, the way I've run this campaign, my professional experience, and the fact that I have the sole support of progressive groups including labor and environmental groups, should put me in a good position for earning their consideration.

I'd love their support and I value the organization, which is evident through my past involvement with the group and the fact that I sought their support in the primary. It definitely matters insofar as the endorsed candidate is able to mobilize members and PCOs to reach out to voters. Marcee did that in the primary, but other factors including her financial disadvantage made it tough for her to get the full advantage of it. If I do get the endorsement, it will definitely be a big help, because as more voters tune in for the general election, they will be looking to the 34th Dems for information about candidates and initiatives up and down the ticket. As we did in the primary, we're going to have a lot of progressive organizations pounding the pavement for my candidacy this fall and I hope the 34th District Dems will be a part of that.