overnor Paul Cellucci yesterday softened his public comments about Jack E. Robinson, saying the Republican Senate candidate's maverick image will help him with voters, and he wished him well in his campaign.
But Cellucci stopped short of endorsing Robinson and predicted that Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush would not back Robinson's candidacy against Senator Edward M. Kennedy.
''I don't think that'll happen,'' Cellucci said.
Still, the governor spoke in a more conciliatory tone than in the past about the candidate, who suddenly reemerged as a contender Tuesday when the state's highest court overruled state election officials and ordered his name printed on the primary ballot.
''Let's give him a chance,'' said Cellucci, adding that he admired Robinson for his perseverance. ''We are going to focus on our priorities; he's going to focus on his race, but we wish him luck. ... This guy's done pretty well on his own. I'm not going to mess him up.''
Cellucci and the state Republican Party disowned Robinson's candidacy in March after embarrassing revelations were disclosed about his personal life, including a 1998 restraining order brought against him by a former girlfriend and a 1985 drunken-driving charge, which was later dropped.
Yesterday, Robinson said he welcomed Cellucci's comment and said he would work hard to ''heal the rift'' between him and Republican leaders. Robinson has also said he would attend the Republican National Convention, which begins July 31 in Philadelphia, and expects to meet with Bush.
But Robinson's presence there could create awkward political moments for the Republicans. Cellucci, a close Bush ally, will surely prevail on the Texas governor to hold off on an endorsement, state GOP sources said.
Robinson, however, will be appealing to the National Republican Senatorial Committee to showcase him at the convention with other Senate candidates from around the country. The fact that he is a successful African-American businessman who is challenging Kennedy - and willing to spend up to $1 million of his own money - could boost his case that he should be embraced by national party leaders.
Robinson said he is attending the convention as a guest of the senatorial committee. A committee spokesman did not return calls yesterday.
Some local GOP sources speculated that Robinson was invited along with other major contributors to the committee, not as a candidate. He said he has donated ''close to $3,000'' to the committee.
''It doesn't matter how you get there as long as you are there,'' Robinson said.
The committee can disperse more than $600,000 to US Senate candidates. The maximum donations are usually reserved for competitive races. With Cellucci and the Republican leaders in Massachusetts withholding their support, Robinson faces a tough task of persuading the committee to help him.
The Cook Political Report, which analyzes congressional races around the country, recently said Kennedy is one of eight Democratic incumbents with a solid hold on reelection this year.
