Chris Durkin, Essex County Clerk
Strengths: Pedigree: he comes out of that Giblin-Durkin-Cryan alliance that produced three state party chairs, county sheriffs, lawmakers and labor leaders. Light on his feet in social situations, Durkin has a Bill Clinton quality of ease with other human beings, is a great public speaker, a natural wit, and has built strong ties in his home county of Essex.
Weaknesses: He’s a county clerk.
Prognosis: He’ll probably make the LG rounds depending on whoever tops the ticket.