Here in Massachusetts there’s a special election today to finish the late Ted Kennedy’s term in the Senate. The state is heavily Democratic, although in recent years we have been fond of electing Republican governors. Right now we have our first black governor, Democrat Deval Patrick, but I predict that in November Charlie Baker, former CEO of a leading HMO, and a Republican, will replace Patrick.
Not since Edward Brooke have we sent a GOP senator to Washington. He served for two terms, and during that time Brooke, who was the first black senator, had an affair with Barbara Walters. Irregularities involving Brooke’s divorce were investigated by an assistant DA named John Kerry, who later took over Brooke’s seat in the Senate. This past October, without a hint of irony, Kerry feted Brooke. Massachusetts politics is such fun.
Anyway, leading up to today’s election, the phone rang constantly yesterday, with robot calls for Scott Brown. There were a couple of automated calls for Martha Coakley, including one with Vicki Kennedy, but mostly the Democratic candidate had live volunteers working the phones.
The calls highlighted once again how it’s the undecided voters — the wishy-washy Charlie Brown contingent — that cost campaigns so much money, although there’s also a need to “get out the vote” among the party faithful. For myself, the decision is very simple. I don’t want a Republican senator.