BOSTON (Legal Newsline)-A day before the Massachusetts Senate primary, voters are hearing from one of state Attorney General Martha Coakley's supporters - former President Bill Clinton.

In an automated call to about 500,000 likely primary voters, Clinton urges Democrats to cast their ballots for Coakley, who is in a heated race with Rep. Michael Capuano.

"Martha Coakley will go to Washington to fight every day to create good jobs with good benefits and to get health reform with a strong public option. You can trust her to get results in the Senate just as she has as your Attorney General," Clinton says in the robocall.

Coakley once held a wide lead over Capuano, but her lead has dwindled. In the Democratic primary, Cloakley also faces Boston Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca and City Year co-founder Alan Khazei.

Vying for the Republican nomination is State Sen. Scott Brown of Wrentham and businessman Jack Robinson of Duxbury.

Massachusetts has not elected a Republican to the U.S. Senate in 37 years. The winner of the Democratic primary is favored to win the Jan. 19 special general election.

The candidates are seeking to succeed the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, who died about 15 weeks ago.

Coakley backed now-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in her race for the U.S. Democratic presidential nomination in 2008, while many other Massachusetts officials, including Kennedy, backed President Barack Obama's bid for the White House.

From Legal Newsline: Reach staff reporter Chris Rizo at chrisrizo@legalnewsline.com.