This would have been a good fight...

Secretary of State William Galvin on Tuesday ruled out a primary challenge to Gov. Deval Patrick, quelling buzz among Beacon Hill Democrats that he would look to capitalize on the governor’s low poll ratings and his own statewide standing to shake up the gubernatorial campaign.

“I’m not running against Deval Patrick,” Galvin told the News Service late Tuesday. “No way against the governor.”

Galvin said he was interested in running for attorney general if Martha Coakley wins next week’s U.S. Senate election over Republican candidate Scott Brown and Libertarian underdog Joseph L. Kennedy, who is no relation to the late senator.

Reflecting on surging Democratic concern that Coakley could lose, Galvin said, “Everything I can see suggests she’s in a fight.”

If Coakley wins, Galvin said, “Obviously, the Legislature’s going to appoint somebody. If they appoint somebody who’s going to run, I’d just assume be that person, but I don’t think that’s likely. I think it’s pretty likely I’m not going to be appointed.”

“I’m interested,” he said. “I’m looking at it. I continue to do that, and I’m evaluating it, and we’ll see what happens. It depends what the Legislature does. If they appoint somebody very qualified, I’d have to think about that, too.”

Galvin reported “very high” returns from absentee voters in the Senate election. Alarmed by polls showing Brown rapidly closing what had once been a safe Coakley advantage in the polls, national and local Democrats have flown into high gear within the past week, attacking Brown and rallying to Coakley’s side.

“I won’t be surprised if it’s 10 [percent] or less,” he said, referring to Coakley’s margin of victory.

UPDATE: Please be sure to join us Wednesday night on The Notes on Blog Talk Radio. Our guest will be Wall Street Journal drama critic Terry Teachout, the author of Pops: A Life of Louis Armstrong. Plus, more from MIT Tech.

SECOND UPDATE: More from the New York Times and Boston Phoenix.