BHR October 2010The Boston Haitian Reporter, the region's leading source for news and information in the Haitian-American community, endorsed the re-election of Gov. Deval Patrick in its October edition, in circulation on Oct. 8. The full text of the endorsement follows:

Four years ago, this newspaper endorsed the candidacy of Deval Patrick because of what we saw in him: the promise of a transformational leader who would bring change to state government.
This month, we endorse his candidacy for a more concrete reason: because he has earned it.
Gov. Patrick has guided the Commonwealth through the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. He has done it with poise, professionalism and with a sense of purpose that has paid off: Massachusetts’ economy is now growing at twice the rate of the rest of the nation. While unemployment remains high following the global financial meltdown of 2008, the Commonwealth has added jobs in the last six consecutive months and there are many other encouraging signs that the state is positioned to leap past most other states in job creation. None of that is accidental. Patrick has shepherded Massachusetts through the most severe crisis of the last half-century and he has distinguished himself and his administration in the process.
Even while managing a fiscal crisis of historic proportions, Gov. Patrick was able to assemble an impressive list of accomplishments:

• On his watch, test scores for Massachusetts students for reading surpassed every other state in the nation;
• He pushed through important reforms in the way the Commonwealth treats former prisoners who have done their time by re-writing our CORI laws, which promises to help thousands of people overcome a major obstacle to employment and upward mobility;
• The governor stood his ground against a powerful lobby to support the creation of the nation’s first-ever off-shore wind farm, Cape Wind, which will give our state a new edge in job creation and clean energy.
The list goes on and on.
Gov. Patrick has been accessible and present in our communities in a way that no governor has in recent years. Patrick has made it a point to support institutions in our community that are dedicated to sustaining and empowering people of color generally and Haitian-Americans specifically. He has walked the streets, greeted families touched by tragedy and responded swiftly and personally to appeals for help. In the wake of the Jan. 12 earthquake, Gov. Patrick immediately put the appropriate state agencies into full swing to support the US response to the natural disaster. He was there for us in a time of great need and answered the call.
Governor Patrick has been much-maligned by his opponents who snidely call for us to “Dump Deval” and give up on “hope.” But Patrick has brought out the best in people no matter what their political affiliation. He’s been a steadfast, level-headed and responsible steward of the public trust in the face of daunting responsibilities and a sometimes angry public. He deserves our respect. He deserves our support Deval Patrick deserves another term as our governor and we’re proud to endorse his candidacy once again.
-The Editors