Massachusetts Politicians Fight Over a Kerry Victory

[dusty64]

By PAM BELLUCK

Published: June 25, 2004


OSTON, June 24 - No, the Republican governor of Massachusetts is not really conceding a presidential victory for the Democratic senator from Massachusetts.

But in the bare-knuckled political landscape of Massachusetts, Gov. Mitt Romney has already been busy battling the Democrat-dominated legislature over what will happen if Senator John Kerry does win.

The Democrats, needless to say, do not want Mr. Romney to be able to appoint someone to the Senate seat, as the law currently allows. They worry that that would give the Republicans a leg up when the seat - which could be pivotal to which party ends up controlling the United States Senate - came up for election.

Mr. Romney wants to keep his prerogative to fill the seat, even if only briefly, with a political ally. That would be a sea change in a state that, what with Mr. Kerry and Senator Edward M. Kennedy, has not had a Republican senator in 25 years.

Of course, in the fight over John Kerry's not-sure-to-be-vacant Senate seat, both sides are claiming lanes on the political high road - fairness to voters, faithfulness to democracy - but both are having trouble disguising a distinctly partisan brawl.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/25/politics/campaign/25boston.html

[GOPBasher]

1. Crap I didn't even think about that.

If Kerry wins, this is going to make it harder to get the senate back.