Changes

*'''Massachusetts'''

*'''Massachusetts'''

Liberal icon [[Ted Kennedy]], the third longest-serving Senator in U.S. history, died from a brain tumor in August 2009, marking the end of an era. During the [[2004 Presidential Election]] the Democratic super-majority in the state legislator blocked the right of [[Republican]] Governor [[Mitt Romney]] to appoint an interim senator had [[John Kerry]] been elected President. After changing the law to allow Governor [[Deval Patrick]], a [[Democrat]], the right to appoint a temporary replacement for Kennedy, he choose former Democratic National Committee chairman [[Paul Kirk]]. He will not seek a full term of his own, and a special election will be held on January 19, 2010.  

Liberal icon [[Ted Kennedy]], the third longest-serving Senator in U.S. history, died in August 2009, marking the end of an era. During the [[2004 Presidential Election]] the Democratic super-majority in the state legislator blocked the right of [[Republican]] Governor [[Mitt Romney]] to appoint an interim senator had [[John Kerry]] been elected President. After changing the law to allow Governor [[Deval Patrick]], a [[Democrat]], the right to appoint a temporary replacement for Kennedy, he choose former Democratic National Committee chairman [[Paul Kirk]]. He will not seek a full term of his own, and a special election will be held on January 19, 2010.  

State Attorney General [[Martha Coakley]] won the Democratic primary, defeating businessman Alan Khazei, Representative Mike Capuano, and Boston Celtics co-owner Stephen Pagliuca. State Senator [[Scott Brown]] is the Republican nominee. Many high-profile Republicans have declined to run, such as former White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card, former Governor Mitt Romney, and former Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey. Former [[Boston]] [[Red Sox]] pitcher [[Curt Schilling]], who has [[conservative]]-leanings, was mentioned as an [[independent]] candidate, but announced he will seek the office. <ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/22/AR2009092203804.html</ref> Democrats are favored to maintain this Senate seat, given that Massachusetts is one of the most liberal state's in the nation (the federal delegation has been entirely Democratic since 1997).

State Attorney General [[Martha Coakley]] won the Democratic primary, defeating businessman Alan Khazei, Representative Mike Capuano, and Boston Celtics co-owner Stephen Pagliuca. State Senator [[Scott Brown]] is the Republican nominee. Many high-profile Republicans have declined to run, such as former White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card, former Governor Mitt Romney, former Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey and former [[Red Sox]] pitcher [[Curt Schilling]], a conservative<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/22/AR2009092203804.html</ref>.

 

Democrats had been favored to keep this Senate seat, and are in a state of shock as Coakley has lost her 30 point lead and trails by a few points in the latest polls.  However the Coakley is an ineffective candidate who has been unable to reach independents. Brown is a much better campaigner, and leads 2-1 among independents, who will elect him if they turn out and vote. Brown's main theme is that he will be the 41st senator and will block the Obama health care plan--which Massachusetts does not need, he explains, because it has its own plan now in operation. Coakley responds by attacking bankers and bringing in big guns like Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, though their appearance underscores her strength among Democratic party regulars and her weakness against independents.  A defeat for Coakley, coming on the heels of the Democrats' loss of Virginia and New Jersey in Nov. 2009, would be a major blow to the liberal cause and would reinvigorate the Republican party nationally.

*'''Texas'''

*'''Texas'''