Crowd rallies to Wilkerson's support

Dianne Wilkerson (center) at the rally. Sonia Chang-Diaz, who beat her in the primary, is seated second from right. (Justine Hunt/Globe Staff)

It was supposed to be a routine, bipartisan "Get Out the Vote" rally in Dorchester. But when embattled state Senator Dianne Wilkerson walked in, the crowd erupted into a show of support, with community leaders and pastors asking a receptive crowd to remember her positive work as a legislator.

"She's our queen," said Dorchester resident Joseph Payne. "She's been in the neighborhood for years and she's always been quite good to us."

A senator for 15 years, Wilkerson suspended her write-in campaign last week after she was arrested on federal bribery charges. She has refused her colleagues' calls to resign and faces a lengthy jail term if convicted. But some, like Payne, a 62-year-old who wore a "Stick with Dianne" sticker, said they would still vote for her today.

With Wilkerson in the first row, the two-hour event, held at the Prince Hall Grand Lodge, morphed into an impromptu pep rally for the senator. As she arrived, Wilkerson was greeted by supporters, hugging and laughing. She clapped her hands, tapped her feet to the music, and beamed when spoken about.

"The total sum of a person's life should be looked at before we make judgments," Minister Rodney X of the Nation of Islam told the crowd of more than 150 people.

Wilkerson was near Sonia Chang-Diaz, the Democratic nominee who defeated her in the primary.

Despite the support for Wilkerson at the rally, Chang-Diaz said she felt confident about the election today and backed the gathering's intended purpose of getting people to the polls.

"We all share the closely held hope that people stick it out in line and make sure their vote is counted," she said.

Pastor Dwayne Frazier of the Revival Time Flame of Fire Ministries called Wilkerson "one of the strongest people in the room" for not resigning her post despite a Senate resolution calling for her to do so. Frazier told her from the stage, "You keep your head up. You keep on going."

Wilkerson then sang the next verse with the packed auditorium, "I do believe I'll make it." Those on hand stood and cheered, and someone yelled, "We love you, Dianne."

After the rally, Wilkerson called the crowd's praise refreshing but would not otherwise acknowledge reporters.

The event was hosted by the Rev. William Dickerson of the Greater Love Tabernacle in Dorchester.

Gabrielle T. Dunn can be reached at gdunn@globe.com.