Voters are heading to the polls in Massachusetts Tuesday, in the first step towards picking a longer-term replacement for the late Sen. Ted Kennedy. This vote is just the primary -- the general won't be held until early next year -- but given the Democratic advantage, it will all but decide the final outcome.
The race has flown under the radar thus far, largely because state attorney General Martha Coakley has consistently been favored in polls. She's running against Rep. Michael Capuano, Boston Celtics co-owner Stephen Pagliuca and Alan Khazei, who started the community service organization City Year.
There is one interesting dynamic to the race. Former President Bill Clinton endorsed Coakley recently. That pits him against former Gov. Michael Dukakis, the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988; Dukakis is backing Capuano.
Currently, Kennedy's seat is held by Paul Kirk.
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