Massachusetts Races to Replace Kennedy - Deval Patrick Wants Law Governing Senate Appointment Reversal Change On Desk ASAP

Governor Deval Patrickis calling for the Massachusetts Legislature to reverse the law calling for a general election in the event of a U.S. Senate vacancy, to one allowing Patrick to appoint a successor to Ted Kennedy. This move has been anticipated for several weeks. Kennedy himself, who lobbied for the law to be changed in 2004 when it did not favor the Democrat Party, asked just last week to reverse it, once again. The Massachusetts Legislature, made of almost exclusively of Democrats, will, in all likelihood, bow to the Governor's request.

Who's on the short list? Barney Frank, U.S. Congress, 4th District (MA-D) (according to Mass. Political insiders). Frank, who said he was not interested in running for the Senate Seat, may change his tune "for the good of the country" if asked by close associate, Barack Obama. It is highly unlikely that the Governor would attempt to continue the Kennedy political dynasty, but, that said, with Massachusetts, anything is possible. What is needed, however, for the Obama administration, is a tough salesman, one who is not in the least bit shy about pushing health care reform, and shares the ideology of the administration - Frank fits that criteria.