Free Republic

GOP fielding fewer legislative candidates than in 2004 By Steve LeBlanc, Associated Press Writer | May 31, 2006 BOSTON --Republicans are fielding far fewer candidates for the Massachusetts House and Senate than two years ago, and are challenging none of the incumbent Democratic district attorneys. About 81 Republicans are running for seats in the Legislature, 61 in the House and 20 in the Senate, according to information provided by the state secretary's office. That's less than half of the total number of seats in the Legislature. There are a total of 160 seats in the House and 40 in the...

Last week, as one of the great rituals of democracy in America -- the filling of a Supreme Court vacancy -- was getting underway, democracy in Massachusetts was nearly getting mugged. Massachusetts is one of 24 states in which voters can approve or reject laws at the polls, a power they have had since the initiative and referendum were added to the state constitution in 1918. It is a power they have tended to exercise sparingly. From 1990 to 2004, for example, only 14 ballot initiatives became law -- an average of less than one a year. Why so few?...