Quick links for a Thursday morning.

Steve Pagliuca may not have any endorsements from unions, elected officials, or former Senators from other states, but he has now taken the endorsement lead in the all-important New Kids on the Block category.

During last night's Celtics game, life-long Celts fan, actor, and NKOTB superstar Donnie Wahlberg tweeted his support for Pags, and later added a few more tweets, including:

DonnieWahlberg: In other words... All my female soldiers... You know who to vote for in MASS!!!!! STEVE PAGLIUCA!!!!!!! US SENATE!!!!! DEMOCRAT!

DonnieWahlberg: Pags is the man!!!!!!

DonnieWahlberg: Our state needs JOBS!!!!!!!!!! Who better?!?!?!

DonnieWahlberg: HUMPs are good! Being HUMPed? I like it... But not by animals or guys (unless on twitter). ;)

Oh First Sergeant Lipton, what would Major Winters say?

--In other Thursday morning news, Boston Phoenix political reporter David Bernstein takes an in-depth look at the endorsement battle between Capuano and Coakley, Pagliuca's campaign hopes, and gives credit to Scott Brown and the state GOP for remaining relevant over the past couple of months:

What’s surprised political insiders, though, is how effective the state’s Republicans have been so far — given the woeful impotence and incompetence that has seemed the state party’s signature in recent years...Some of the credit probably should go to the new Massachusetts Republican Party staff and its chair Jennifer Nassour, as well as to Republican legislators like Richard Tisei. But most give the lion’s share of credit to Brown and his advisors. 

--The Associated Press examines Capuano's unorthodox campaign strategy of running as a Washington insider.

--Matt Viser and Andre Estes examine the issue of PAC money in the campaign.

--Pagliuca talks to WBUR's Bob Oakes about health care.

--And NECN takes a look at the role gender may have played in the Tsongas endorsement of Coakley, a view that Women for Coakley take issue with: