Special Election Update: Kerry Supports Markey

It seems like the 2012 election season just ended, and even the most hardened political junkies are looking for a well-deserved hiatus from the perils and stresses of election season.  However, the political beast never sleeps, and there is already another important election on the horizon.

With President Obama nominating Massachusetts Senator John Kerry to be his new Secretary of State, it is quite likely that there will need to be a special election to fill Mr. Kerry's seat after his (likely) confirmation.

While there has been some speculation now for a few weeks about who would run, there has not been any definitive answers from people who were being looked at to run (ignoring a denial from Ben Affleck, who was being floated as a possible Democratic contender).  That is, until Thursday.

Taking advantage of a slow news day (what with the lack of fiscal cliff talks and anything one might consider substantive going on), Rep. Edward Markey (D-07) has declared his intention to run for Mr. Kerry's vacant Senate seat pending Kerry's confirmation.  Mr. Markey, who is the Dean of the Massachusetts Congressional delegation and the second-longest serving member of Congress from New England, is considered by many to be a staunch Progressive.

Rep. Ed Markey (D-07)

Following this announcement, Mr. Kerry said that he would publicly support Mr. Markey, and was followed shortly afterward by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.  This puts a slight stranglehold on the Democratic side, as it is not quite likely that anybody would be able to gain much traction against him.  Even so, there are two other Democrats thought to be currently considering the race:  Rep. Stephen Lynch, who is somewhat unpopular with Democrats for voting against the Affordable Care Act; and Rep. Mike Capuano, who attempted a run for Senate in 2010, but lost in the primary election to Attorney General Martha Coakley (who, of course, then lost to Republican Scott Brown).

Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-09)

Rep. Mike Capuano (D-08)

At this point, on the Republican side, there has been nothing but rumors and speculation.  The most common name to pop up is current Senator Scott Brown, who lost his re-election bid to Elizabeth Warren.  If Mr. Brown were to run, it would be his third general election for the same position since 2009, something quite uncommon for an event that usually only happens every six years.

Sen. Scott Brown (D-MA)

At this point, it is somewhat useless to speculate over how a general election would go.  However, it will be interesting to see how this race will turn out with all the nation's attention on it.

More updates to come as the situation progresses.