MA SEN: Kennedy Or Not, Here I Come
Less than a week after the death of Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA), the first candidate has begun the formal process of making a bid to replace him.
MA AG Martha Coakley (D), who has been making her interest in the seat known in Dem circles, moved quickly in making the first step. Coakley comm. dir. Alex Zaroulis confirmed to On Call that a Coakley staffer pulled papers for a special election bid from the MA sec/state's office this a.m. Yesterday, MA Gov. Deval Patrick (D) called the special for 1/19/10, with the party primaries set for 12/8.
Coakley is among several Dems -- including Reps. Ed Markey (D-07), Stephen Lynch (D-09) and Michael Capuano (D-08) -- said to be weighing a run. She had reportedly told associates that she would run regardless of whether a member of the Kennedy family made a bid. If she won the seat, she would become the first woman elected to the Senate from MA.
Earlier today, Politics magazine reported that Univ. of MA-Lowell chancellor/ex-Rep. Martin Meehan will not run, according to two veteran MA Dem sources.
[FELICIA SONMEZ]