Ok, now I'm confused again. Apparently Kerry can run for both

[TayTay]

I think. (Maybe.) It's very confusing. Does anyone know, definitely, if Mass law always a candidate to run for two federal offices at the same time, Specifically the Senate and the PResidency. The Lowell Sun seems to think they can.
http://www.lowellsun.com/editorials/ci_2944141

Later, when Sen. John Kerry announced his intention to run for the Democratic nomination for U.S. President, Meehan sensed an open seat in the making and began to seek out donors for a possible $10 million Senate run. The seat never materialized as Kerry lost the presidential election and decided to remain employed as a U.S. senator.

It's clear Meehan has ambition for higher office. That's fine. A lot of kids want to grow up to become president. Yet they don't start saving up from their sixth birthday for a campaign that might never happen when they turn 35. Meehan shouldn't put the cart before the horse either. Sen. Ted Kennedy's going nowhere but the filibuster booth and Kerry's considering another presidential run in 2008 -- as a Massachusetts lawmaker.

So why is Meehan the so-called reformer gobbling up more campaign money for a race that doesn't exist?

And even if Kerry decides to quit the Senate for another White House bid, why should Meehan get a head start on all other potential candidates at the expense of serving the Fifth District?

Ahm, he can, he can't, he shouldn't, he wouldn't, I don't know. (And yes, the Lowell Sun is very snarky.)

[blm]

1. Lowell Sun endorsed Bush - it's a RW rag and always has been.

If Kerry does run again, I hope he retires from the Senate to do it, so he's not being used as the reason for GOPers to push divisive legislation onto Democrats.

[Noisy Democrat]

2. Kerry can run for both

from what I understand, but they say it would look bad -- like he lacked confidence -- if he ran for both instead of pulling out of the Senate race. What I don't know is how the timing works: e.g. whether he could run for both at first, and pull out of the Senate race only once it's clear he's got the nomination.

[TayTay]

3. I'm not sure

I know he has $2,400,000 in the bank for the Senate account. This is a nice piece of change for a race that isn't for 3 years. Right now, Sen. Kerry has two accounts up and raising money. One is the Kerry for Senate account and the other is the PAC, still listed at the FEC site as 'Friends of John Kerry' with David Thorne as treasurer. (It's too soon for an account for younger brother Cam Kerry, should he decide to run for MA SecOfState because Bill Galvin, the current holder of that office, hasn't yet decided if he is giving up all that glamor to run for Lt. Gov.)

The way I understand it, you can file to enter the NH primary, pay your $1,000 entrance fee anytime after Jan. 1, 2007. You can probably 'pull papers' in MA for a race the next year at around the same time. ('Pull papers' is the local phrase, universally used, that means you have actually gone down to city or town hall and asked for the official papers to run for public office.)

I cannot imagine Kerry running concurrently. I don't think that would work. (Yeah, the people of Massachusetts are selfish and want a full-time Senator. And, much as I like Kerry, it would just not work. He was not at most of the 108th Congress because of the Prez run and he would not be at most of the 110th if he ran for Prez. This has not gone unnoticed at home. It's not a problem yet, but it is a background noise.)

[rox63]

4. I concur

Kerry might be able to run for both offices at the same time. But the majority of Massholes would be pissed off at him if tried it.