Reich frequently criticized current Acting Gov. Jane M. Swift in his speech and often made allusions to “patronage, cronyism, nepotism, cynicism.”

Reich said he was confident he could jump-start the economy from the governor’s desk.

“The kitchen table issues of America begin at the state level and begin with the governor,” Reich said.

Alexander S. Grodd ’04 said that he met Reich while working on the Bill Bradley campaign, and is planning to start a students for Reich movement on the Harvard campus.

“We want to just help with student support, maybe get some Harvard students to run as delegates at the caucus on Feb. 2,” Grodd said.

Katherine S. Newman, Wiener professor of urban studies at the Kennedy School of Government, held up a construction-paper “SEE BOB RUN” sign at the announcement, and shouted out “Hey, here we are” when a reporter questioned Reich on how he would overcome a “late start” while attempting to gather support.

Newman said that her specialty, urban poverty, made her interested in Reich’s efforts as secretary of labor.

“He was responsible for some of the most innovative policies,” Newman said.“I have never done anything in electoral politics before but I am so excited about this campaign.”

And Newman said that she didn’t think Reich’s popularity among academics would prevent him from appealing to a wider base.

“Because we’re entering rocky times in Massachusetts, his ideas are all the more important right now,” Newman said. “Of all the academics we can think of, he’s the one who’s devoted his life to working families.”

—Staff writer Lauren R. Dorgan can be reached at dorgan@fas.harvard.edu.