#ma-gov

[npi]

“Republicans concede that a handful of once-competitive battlegrounds are nearly out of reach for them in 2018,” reports Politico’s Gabriel Debenedetti and Daniel Strauss.

[npi]

Where things stand now: A summary of gubernatorial races in the Eastern timezone

Welcome to NPI’s continuing elections live coverage. He is a quick summary of where things stand in the gubernatorial races on the East Coast. Note that in some states, polls have not yet closed.

Too close to call

Florida: Charlie Crist (D) versus Rick Scott (R)

Too early to call

Massachusetts: Martha Coakley (D) versus Charlie Baker (R)

New Hampshire: Maggie Hassan (D) versus Walt Havenstein (R)

Maryland: Anthony Brown (D) versus Larry Hogan (R)

Maine: Paul LePage (R) versus Michael Michaud (D)

Georgia: Nathan Deal (R) versus Jason Carter (D)

Projected Democratic pickup

Pennsylvania: Tom Wolf (D) defeats Tom Corbett (R)

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Annie-Rose Strasser at Think Progress: Deval Patrick: ‘It’s Time For Democratics To Grow A Backbone’

In making the case for the re-election of President Barack Obama Tuesday night at the Democratic Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick called on Democrats to “grow a backbone.”

“We are Americans,” Patrick said to roaring applause, “We shape our own future”:

My message is this — it is time for Democrats to grow a backbone and stand up for what we believe. Quit waiting for pundits or polls or Super PACs to tell us who the next President or senator or congressman will be. We are Americans. We shape our own future.