Tim Cahill

Treasurer Tim Cahill recently refused to rule out challenging Gov. Deval Patrick in the Democratic primary for governor in 2010, the Boston Herald reports.

Cahill, a Quincy Democrat, told the Herald in an editorial board meeting that it is "most likely" he'll run for governor in 2010 if Patrick does not seek re-election. Patrick has said repeatedly the he will run for a second term and told the Herald in August that Cahill vowed not to challenge him.

But Cahill made no such promise to the Herald.

"I don't want to say either way, because I honestly don't know," Cahill told the Herald. "It would depend on the situation that the state faces. Obviously, you'd have to believe you could do a better job, but it's a huge uphill battle to challenge someone from your own party."

John Kerry was a little less forceful on Tuesday in denying his interest in a spot in an Obama administration than he was during the campaign and sources say he is actively seeking the job.

Speaking of the junior senator moving on, Gov. Deval Patrick is open to considering changing the law that calls for a special election to fill a vacant U.S. Senate seat.

And, no, Treasurer Tim Cahill says he isn't interested in heading to Washington for an Obama post either.

Former Gov. Mitt Romney is looking forward to contributing to "rebuilding the [Republican] Party nationally."

And the Massachusetts GOP is coping with losing three seats in the state legislature.

Massachusetts broke turnout records for Election Day 2008, according to unofficial results.

State officials are trying to figure out how to implement Question 2, the successful ballot measure that would decriminalize possession of less than an ounce of marijuana.

Buried in the crosstabs of Thursday night's Suffolk University/7News poll are some interesting favorability numbers for state's top politicians, several of which are often rumored to be interested in seeking higher office than the one they currently inhabit.

The crosstabs, made available to PolitickerMA.com, show that the majority of Massachusetts voters have a favorable opinion of Gov. Deval Patrick and that Attorney General Martha Coakley is among the most well-known and more favorably viewed of other Massachusetts politicians.

Fifty-seven percent of respondents said they have a favorable view of Patrick, a Milton Democrat, while 23 percent said they view the governor unfavorably. Just four percent had never heard of him and 16 percent had no opinion.

Lt. Gov. Tim Murray raised more money in July than any other Massachusetts politician, the Associated Press reports.

Murray raked in almost $545,000 by the end of July.

The lieutenant governor's fundraising prowess outperformed Gov. Deval Patrick's (D-Milton), who raised $345,000 during the same time period; Attorney General Martha Coakley (D-Medford), who raised $174,416 through mid-August; and Treasurer Tim Cahill (D-Quincy), who raked in $164,530.

Gov. Deval Patrick (D-Milton) at a campaign rally in 2006: Getty Image

As speculation surrounding whether he would take a position in a potential Obama administration continued this week following his being tapped for a primetime speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention, Gov. Deval Patrick wrapped up his 10-stop statewide town hall tour in Hyannis Monday. Dubbed as an opportunity for "residents to talk directly" with the governor about issues that concern them, the town hall gatherings put Patrick back into a forum that served him well during his 2006 campaign and allowed him to bypass the filter of the media to connect with residents (and voters).

And while almost all analysts agreed at the beginning of the tour that the town halls were a good move for Patrick (D-Milton) politically, reviews of what Patrick accomplished with the tour, and what he intended to accomplish, were mixed.

Some suggested that the town halls were part of the beginning of Patrick's reelection campaign. The town hall forum, they said, is where Patrick thrived in 2006 and this effort to reconnect with voters can only boost his chances in 2010. "Any contact with the public is part of a reelection campaign," said Paul Watanabe, a political scientist at the University of Massachusetts at Boston.

"Certainly [the town halls] will prove helpful in his re-election campaign," added Mike Shea, a Boston Democratic strategist. "This is the antidote to the familiar voter complaint, ‘We never see him/her around here except at election.' And, many more people will hear about his visit in the local media than will actually attend."

It's Massachusetts Winners and Losers for August 15, 2008. CLICK HERE.

It's Massachusetts Winners and Losers for August 8, 2008. CLICK HERE.