Gonzalez hires former Coakley aide to manage campaign

Democrat Jay Gonzalez. Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jay Gonzalez has hired a top official from Martha Coakley’s 2014 bid to manage his campaign.

Kevin Ready, who was Coakley’s political director in her losing race against Governor Charlie Baker, has since held senior positions in Attorney General Maura Healey’s office. In March of last year, Ready, who had long worked for Coakley when she was the state’s top prosecutor, became the first non-attorney to serve as acting director of the state’s Medicaid fraud division.

Last September, the Clark University alumnus became chief of investigations and deputy division chief of the Medicaid fraud division, according to Gonzalez’s campaign.

Gonzalez, who was governor Deval Patrick’s budget chief, is vying for the Democratic Party’s nomination to challenge Baker next year. Newton Mayor Setti Warren, while not an officially declared candidate, has been raising money for a rival bid.