Mass. attorney general is 1st to seek Kennedy seat

[Emit]

Source: AP

BOSTON – The race for the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the death last week of Edward Kennedy got off to a cautious start Tuesday, despite a tight five-month election schedule that leaves little time for campaigning. By the end of the day just one major candidate — state Attorney General Martha Coakley — opted to take out nomination papers. A campaign aide declined to comment.

Other possible contenders decided to hold back in part to see whether a member of the Kennedy family might decide to enter the race — including Kennedy's widow Vicki Kennedy or his nephew, the former U.S. Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II.

Another possible contender — former U.S. Rep. Martin Meehan — said he is "thinking about" a run for the seat and hopes to make a decision by the end of the week.

Meehan, now chancellor of the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, is waiting to see whether a Kennedy jumps in. Meehan has $4.8 million in his federal campaign account, the largest sum of any potential candidate.

~snip~

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090902/ap_on_re_us/us_kennedy_successor

[graywarrior]

1. Yeah, I just heard on Boston news channel that Joe was in the mix for running.

[Tx4obama]

4. I'm hoping that Joe runs in the special election. n/t

[ruggerson]

2. Good. If it's not Barney, it should be Martha Coakley.

[Skink]

3. Markey should get the seat.

and that ain't Malarkey.

[friendly_iconoclast]

5. I'd like to see Martha The Merciless get it.

Failing that, Markey.

[MissMillie]

6. I'd actually like to keep her where she is

She's doing a great job as AG, including suing the Federal Government over DOMA.

Joe Kennedy and Marty Meehan would be great choices.

[robo50]

7. As a skilled A G, she's terrific. I would hate to lose her, and she

has NEVER been in a legislative role. That bothers me, and I would prefer Joe over Martha if he runs.


I might support her in the election in the end, (without Joe in the mix) but Mass would lose a great A G, I hope her replacement A G would be as inspiring.

[No Elephants]

8. Vicki is by far the best of the bunch. She does not want the interim seat. That does not mean she

does not want to run in the special election. If she doesn't, DRAFT HER!

[Arkana]

9. As I knew she would.

Martha's been salivating--SALIVATING--over the idea of a Senate seat since Kerry was the nominee for Prez in 2004.