Posted on 08/26/2009 5:33:31 AM PDT by kellynla
Unlike most states, a successor to fill Sen. Edward M. Kennedy's seat in the Senate will be chosen through a special election, not by the governor.
Massachusetts law requires a special election for the seat no sooner than 145 days and no later than 160 days after a vacancy occurs. The law bans an interim appointee.
The law was changed in 2004, when Sen. John Kerry, a Democrat, became his party's presidential nominee and Republican Mitt Romney was the state's governor. Before the change, the governor would have appointed a replacement to serve until the next general election.
That would have created the opportunity for Romney to install a fellow Republican in office, a move that Democrats who control the state legislature sought to prevent.
Last week, Kennedy asked Massachusetts lawmakers to change state law to give Massachusetts' current governor, Deval Patrick, a fellow supporter of President Barack Obama, the ability to appoint an interim replacement to Kennedy's seat should Kennedy be unable to continue serving.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Other potential Democratic candidates include state Attorney General Martha Coakley, U.S. Reps. Stephen Lynch, Michael Capuano, Edward Markey, James McGovern and William Delahunt, and former Rep. Martin Meehan, now chancellor of the University of Massachusetts at Lowell.
On the Republican side, potential candidates include Cape Cod businessman Jeff Beatty, former Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey, former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan and Chris Egan, former U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Cooperation and Development."
HA! Hoisted on their own petard!
Teddy wanted it this way in 2004.
King of Pork and Earmarks Dead.
Next up for Teddy is a resting place in Boston’s Big Dig!
Wow, maybe they’ll elect a Republican!
It looks like they still could change the law.
Yeah well forget the Republican side; this is Massachusetts afer all. I expect that some Kennedy or other will jump into the race and claim the family seat.
Can Romney Run??
Pray for America and Our Troops
What Mr. Kennedy doesn't volunteer is that he orchestrated the 2004 succession law revision that now requires a special election, and for similarly partisan reasons...
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204884404574362541012511408.html
Pardon me if I don't get all wee-wee’d up about his passing.
I am sure the Democrats will have no problem changing the rules once again to suit their purpose of power.
It was his dying wish. You have to give the rotten SOB credit where credit is due. He was a politician to the end.
May God bless him, his family and the USA.
(This is not sarcasm)
No mention of Mitt Romney on the Republican side? Winning that senate seat could propel his presidential ambitions... It’s risky, but if can win Kennedy’s old seat he’d be well on his way to winning the Presidency.
It’s time to get out the popcorn....this could be fun!
Good idea. I want him out of the way for 2012. Perfect RINO for MASS.
I know the people of Mass are clueless and spineless, but do they want to keep their freedom and keep their jobs?
ZIP....ZIP
watch them change the law....like they did with the Senate seat in NJ and nobody say anything about save Fox news and Radio conseratives....
just watch.
Special election?
Let me guess only democrats and RINOs need apply....
The people of Taxachusetts are so far out there gone, we should fence it off and call it “THE TED KENNEDY MEMORIAL MENTAL INSTITUTE”.
This may be a glimpse of things to come. If the Democrats lose Kennedy’s seat in the Senate...
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