Changes

==Politics==

==Politics==

With the death of Senator [[Ted Kennedy]] in August 2009, the Senate seat will remain open until a special election is held in late January, 2010, but state leaders are discussing changing the law to allow the governor to name a replacement. The current law was promoted by Kennedy himself to prevent a Republican from naming a replacecement for Senator Kerry in 2004, in case Kerry was elected president; it has now boomeranged against the Democrats in the Senate, who need a replacement soon to keep their veto-proof 60-seat majority. The prospective candidates most often mentioned include for the Democrats state Attorney General Martha Coakley, Congressman Michael Capuano, Congressman Stephen Lynch, and perhaps Kennedy's nephew Joseph Kennedy II. The only Republican with a chance of winning is former  Gov. Mitt Romney, but he is expected to concentrate instead on the 2012 presidential campaign.  

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 Republican Governor [[Mitt Romney]] from appointing an interim senator should [[John Kerry]] be elected President. The legislature changed the law back again after Kennedy's death, allowing Governor [[Deval Patrick]], a Democrat, to appoint a temporary replacement for Kennedy. He he choose former Democratic National Committee chairman [[Paul Kirk]]. Kirk will not seek a full term of his own, and a special election will be held on January 19, 2010.

 

Given that Massachusetts is arguably the most liberal state in the country (the federal delegation has been entirely Democratic since 1997) the real race will likely be the Democrat primary, held on December 8, 2009. Candidates include State Attorney General Martha Coakley and businessman Alan Khazei. Representative Jim McGovern and Mike Capuano are probable candidates. On the Republican side, State Senator Scott Brown has declared his candidacy. 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>

 

The only Republican with a chance of winning is Romney, but he is expected to concentrate instead on the 2012 presidential campaign.  

Although once a bastion of social conservatism (the term "Banned in Boston" is still in widespread use)<ref>http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Massachusetts/id/1896007</ref> Massachusetts is known as one of the most Catholic and most liberal states. It is the most populous state to have all-Democratic congressional representation.  It was called "Taxachusetts" because of its high tax rate, which has since been lowered by a series of Republican governors in the 1990s and 2000s ([[William Weld]], [[Paul Cellucci]], [[Jane Swift]] and [[Mitt Romney]]); they were among the most liberal Republican governors in the country.<ref>http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Massachusetts/id/1896007</ref>

Although once a bastion of social conservatism (the term "Banned in Boston" is still in widespread use)<ref>http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Massachusetts/id/1896007</ref> Massachusetts is known as one of the most Catholic and most liberal states. It is the most populous state to have all-Democratic congressional representation.  It was called "Taxachusetts" because of its high tax rate, which has since been lowered by a series of Republican governors in the 1990s and 2000s ([[William Weld]], [[Paul Cellucci]], [[Jane Swift]] and [[Mitt Romney]]); they were among the most liberal Republican governors in the country.<ref>http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Massachusetts/id/1896007</ref>

Patrick is faring poorly in polls, as he has been ineffective in getting his own priorities enacted, and in dealing with the [[recession of 2008]].

Patrick is faring poorly in polls, as he has been ineffective in getting his own priorities enacted, and in dealing with the [[recession of 2008]].

Massachusetts is the home of Presidents [[John Adams]], [[John Quincy Adams]], and [[John F. Kennedy]].  

Massachusetts is the home of Presidents [[John Adams]], [[John Quincy Adams]], and [[John F. Kennedy]].

 

==Notes and references==

==Notes and references==

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