Massachusetts gubernatorial candidates pledge to serve

BOSTON (FOX25, myfoxboston) - Gun-shy Massachusetts voters spent Governor Deval Patrick's first term wondering whether he'd serve all four years, or up and leave for some other job like his recent predecessors.

Now, as Patrick kicks off his re-election campaign, the Democrat's making clear again he's not going anywhere if he wins a second term this fall. And he's not alone in making the pledge.

Patrick's top political rival, Republican Charles Baker, says he would remain governor as long as the voters would let him.

Baker's former boss, Republican William F. Weld, resigned as governor in 1997 to pursue an appointment as U.S. ambassador to Mexico. Weld's successor, Paul Cellucci, resigned in 2001 to become U.S. ambassador to Canada.

Mitt Romney left after a single term to seek the GOP presidential nomination.