Coakley for attorney general

NEXT TO the governor, no elected official in Massachusetts has more power than the state's top lawyer. The attorney general not only acts as the chief law enforcement officer, but also is responsible for protecting consumers, patients, senior citizens, and the environment, standing up for civil rights, regulating certain businesses, and representing the interests of the state in court. The position demands legal expertise, political skill, and common sense.

Middlesex County District Attorney Martha Coakley possesses all three qualities, and the Globe endorses her as the Commonwealth's next attorney general.

Coakley, a Democrat, is the former chief of the Middlesex DA's Child Abuse Protection Unit. In two terms as the top prosecutor in the state's most populous county, she has compiled a solid record. She and her staff have ably handled such high-profile cases as the prosecution of Paul Shanley, a defrocked priest accused of sexual abuse. She also recognizes that an effective crime policy doesn't begin and end with incarceration. Coakley sees a need for efforts to improve prisoners' job skills and calls for mandatory supervision of prisoners after their release.

While Coakley's career has centered on criminal law, she acknowledges that most of the work of the attorney general's office is civil in nature. If elected attorney general, she will have to grow into a larger set of responsibilities. Her solid reputation in the legal community suggests that she will be able to do so.

Indeed, Coakley may be sufficiently formidable a candidate that she attracted no opponents in the Democratic primary. This is rather surprising; the attorney general's office has a high profile and far-reaching authority, and it is a potential springboard to higher office. Coakley is confident enough of her own prospects in the general election, it seems, that she cut an ad for Democratic gubernatorial nominee Deval Patrick -- a highly unusual step for a non incumbent running for statewide office.

Voters would benefit from a more spirited race for attorney general. Coakley's Republican opponent, Larry Frisoli, has some interesting ideas to contribute to the debate. He promises better scrutiny of the finances of nonprofit organizations and vows to use the power of the attorney general to improve the auto and health insurance systems. In his legal practice, he has been, among other things, an advocate for the interests of sexually abused children.

But when voters go to the polls, they would be wise to take note of Coakley's long record of public service. She has been a successful district attorney in Middlesex, and her legal experience and political savvy make her the better candidate in this race.