William Weld, [Steve Pierce]'s chief rival for the Republican nomination, has walked a tightrope, criticizing Pierce, but not his efforts to cut the state budget. He issued a statement yesterday criticizing Pierce's performance on the budget as an example of "failed leadership."

Pierce aide Tom Graf said Democrats attacked the Pierce plan for cutting programs too harshly, yet now those same Democrats are saying the Pierce plan isn't cutting spending at all. "Which did we do? Did we cut too deep or didn't we?" he asked.

Even Weld's own campaign chairman, Rep. Richard Tisei (R-Wakefield), one of the seven Republicans who voted against the Pierce plan, refused to criticize Pierce. Tisei said he voted against the plan because he could not obtain a copy of it and was reluctant to vote for it without reviewing it carefully.