The three Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls who emerged from this weekend’s state convention came together Monday evening in a sharp clash over campaign finance. The sparks flying between Attorney General Martha Coakley, the clear Democratic frontrunner, and Treasurer Steve Grossman, seem to indicate the state is in for a long, bitterly fought primary contest. Still, the substance of what Coakley and Grossman were fighting over on Monday was almost irrelevant. Coakley and Grossman are arguing over whether to sideline super PAC spending, but outside money is already flowing into the gubernatorial contest at a rapid clip.

  

The Boston Globe‘s David Scharfenberg reports today that the Monday evening Democratic debate in Jamaica Plain saw Coakley and Grossman sparring over limiting outside spending in the gubernatorial race. Coakley, citing a super PAC that was formed in April to promote Grossman’s candidacy, criticized Grossman for failing to pledge to keep outside money out of the race; Grossman called Coakley’s criticism “laughable,” and claimed that she’d torpedoed an anti-PAC pledge earlier this year. The third candidate in the Democratic primary, Don Berwick said he would sign on to a pledge. At this point, though, the maneuvering around outside spending is almost solely about campaign optics. The outside spending spigot is already open.

CommonWealth has previously detailed the rise of outside PACs in state and local politics. Super PACs, which may raise and spend unlimited sums of money in political campaigns, are rapidly pushing aside traditional means of financing campaigns. The current sparring over sidelining super PACs in the governor’s race misses the point that the PACs have already been maneuvering for months. Grossman and Charlie Baker, the likely Republican nominee, both have super PACs lining up behind them. Coakley has been endorsed by EMILY’s List and Planned Parenthood — two groups that spent healthy sums in support of Coakley’s 2010 Senate run.

Outside money began flowing into the governor’s race months ago. A PAC funded by the Democratic Governors Association and a group of unions is already attacking Baker. A PAC associated with the National Association of Government Employees spent $125,000 on anti-Baker television spots earlier this spring. The pro-Grossman PAC made its initial buys last week, spending $12,000 on fundraising and research. All told, outside groups have already spent more than $185,000 on the governor’s race. And they’re just getting started.

–PAUL MCMORROW  

BEACON HILL

As hiring at the Probation Department increased, so did patronage, says a witness at the federal trial of former Probation commissioner John O’Brien.

MUNICIPAL MATTERS

Nahant ‘s town administrator, Andrew Bisignani, resigns as investigators pursue questionable spending leads, the Globe reports. Bisignani’s departure creates a stir in Saugus, where he used to work, the Item reports.

Lynn officials are bracing for the possibility that court damages awarded to the city’s former comptroller could be trebled, bringing the municipality’s tab to as much as $4 million, the Item reports.

A gay couple’s lawsuit against the Catholic Diocese of Worcester over a stalled property sale appears headed for court, the Telegram & Gazette reports.

CASINOS

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh expresses frustration with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission on Broadside with Jim Braude. Walsh sounds pessimistic about the city’s chances of striking a host community agreement with Revere and Everett casino developers.

Fall River officials are open to new casino developers coming to the city after the exclusivity agreement with Foxwoods terminated when the Connecticut casino operator said it would not meet the state’s July application deadline, which has now been extended to September.

NATIONAL POLITICS/WASHINGTON

The US deploys 275 troops to Iraq, Time reports.

San Francisco plans to put a $15-per-hour minimum wage on its fall ballot, Governing reports.

If affirmative action is doomed, the New York Times asks, what comes next?

ELECTIONS

US Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the clear star of the Massachusetts congressional delegation, visits Salem to endorse US Rep. John Tierney, the Eagle-Tribune reports.

Herald columnist Jaclyn Cashman warns Martha Coakley and Steve Grossman not to underestimate Don Berwick. Charlie Baker mulls how to engage his Democratic rivals.

BUSINESS/ECONOMY

In an oped in the Herald News, the president of the Fall River Chamber of Commerce and Industry calls for passage of a bill in the Legislature aimed at spurring economic growth in the Gateway Cities by making changes to some tax credits and creating a development fund.

A new report projects that charitable giving will bounce back to its pre-2007 levels sooner than expected because of strong gains on Wall Street and four consecutive years of economic growth, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy.

EDUCATION

The New Bedford School Committee gave first year Superintendent Pia Durkin high marks for her budget skills and academic plans to turn around the city’s struggling schools but said she needs to improve her public relations skills.

The Wall Street Journal contrasts Jeb Bush‘s embrace of Common Core with a wider Republican denunciation of the national educational standards.

HEALTH CARE

America’s health care system is the world’s most expensive, and it generates depressingly mediocre results.

A backlog of death certificates in state medical examiner’s office is wreaking havoc on families.

U.S. News & World Report ranks the 50 healthiest counties for kids based on factors such as infant mortality, air quality, and health care coverage, and the list includes four Massachusetts counties, including Norfolk County at number 2 and Middlesex County at number 7.

TRANSPORTATION

The MBTA will now fire any driver caught with a cellphone, even if it is turned off.

ENERGY/ENVIRONMENT

A Tennessee Gas Pipeline proposal to build a line across northern Massachusetts is reviewed in Groton, where experts say the project would be financed not by the company but by ratepayers, the Sun reports.

MEDIA

Rick Daniels , former president of the Boston Globe and CEO of GateHouse Media New England who most recently spearheaded a group in a failed attempt to buy the Globe, has been named chief operating officer of the digital media company GoLocal24.