The Eye

He is seeking to play to his strengths, promising to be a "Citizen Senator" and seeking to build a grass-roots campaign that will rely on local and new media networks. But he is also positioning himself as the true heir to Kennedy's progressive social vision, highlighting his work helping to craft and rally support for the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, a bill to encourage public service that was signed into law last spring.

Khazei's campaign released a biographical Web video Monday on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter touting his work to empower citizens "to solve problems, improve their communities, and get involved in their democracy."

Even with a strong viral and social media campaign, however, Khazei will find it tough to cut through the noise in the fast-moving race -- the primary is scheduled for Dec. 8 and the general election is Jan. 19 -- among better-known and better-funded opponents.

Pagliuca, managing director of Bain Capital and co-owner of the NBA's Boston Celtics, is prepared to self-fund his campaign, while Capuano started with more than $1 million in his federal campaign account and Coakley is gunning to have $1 million raised by the end of the month.

State Sen. Scott Brown is the leading candidate for the Republican nomination.

CQ Politics rates the general election contest Democrat Favored.

To see how the 2010 Senate races are shaping up, check out the CQ Politics' election map.