BOSTON - Gov. Deval Patrick, House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi and several other Bay State Democrats gathered in Boston's South End Tuesday to show their support of Sonia Chang-Diaz as she heads towards another show down with state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson.

[img_assist|nid=1294|title=Sonia Chang-Diaz (D-Jamaica Plain) on Election Night|desc=Campaign Photo|link=none|align=left|width=180|height=160]The event, held at the South End Settlements, was emceed by state Rep. Byron Rushing, a Boston Democrat who endorsed Wilkerson (D-Boston) in the Democratic primary against Chang-Diaz (D-Jamaica Plain). In front of an audience of between 30 and 40, Rushing introduced DiMasi (D-Boston) who voiced his endorsement of Chang-Diaz for the first time.

"I am here to wholeheartedly and completely endorse the campaign of Sonia Chang-Diaz," DiMasi, who also backed Wilkerson in the primary, said. "She is the Democratic nominee and we are going to support her because in our Democratic Party we endorse Democrats and we help them out."

"I will do everything I can to help her get her elected in November," DiMasi added.

But even though the event was meant to show a unified Democratic Party in support of Chang-Diaz as she heads towards the general election against Wilkerson's write-in campaign, Wilkerson supporters made their presence known. Outside the building, on the corner of Columbus and Massachusetts Avenue, several Wilkerson backers held red Wilkerson signs. One sign read "this district is not for sale," referring to the Wilkerson campaign's belief that Chang-Diaz's backers, including Cambridge philanthropist Barbara Lee, played a significant role in turning the election against Wilkerson with their fundraising.

[img_assist|nid=1445|title=Wilkerson supporters outside Tuesday's event|desc=Politicker Photo|link=none|align=left|width=410|height=307]Patrick (D-Milton) addressed the sign directly in his remarks.

"I saw a sign just outside that said, ‘This district is not for sale,'" the governor said. "And by the way, that sign is right, this district is not for sale. This nomination was earned."

Patrick also emphatically showed his support of Chang-Diaz while acknowledging the hard work of both campaigns.

"To be absolutely clear and unambiguous: As your governor and as a Democrat, I endorse Sonia Chang-Diaz," he said. "This has been a tough and competitive primary race, and I honor the supporters of both campaigns and both candidates."

Chang-Diaz, taking the microphone, stressed the themes of her campaign. Her campaign, she said, knocked on doors and told voters they "didn't have to choose between leaders that would do good work on issues that we care about every day, and leaders who would always remain accountable to those they represent."

They asked voters, she added, to "put aside their cynicism and to ask for and to believe they could ask for more and voters said ‘yes.'"

The Jamaica Plain Democrat stressed the need for change on issues such as education, healthcare, housing costs and the growing "gap between the rich and poor."

"Change is possible on all of these issues," she said.

Other Bay State pols that were in attendance included: Democratic Party Chairman John Walsh, Boston City Councilor John Tobin, Suffolk County Sherriff Andrea Cabral, Boston City Councilor Bill Linehan, State Rep. Jeffrey Sanchez (D-Boston) and State Rep. Marty Walz (D-Boston).

Chang-Diaz also expressed her optimism looking ahead to the general election.

"Over the next four weeks we...are going to again reach out to the voters of the 2nd Suffolk District," she said. "We will again go door to door and talk to people directly about the real problems and the real concerns they are facing and about what we can do together through state government to provide solutions. And we will again talk to people and ask them to join us in this campaign for new leadership. And I believe that come November, voters will again say ‘yes.'"