Common Wealth: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Mass Politics?

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Friday, February 01, 2013

Adam Joseph Drici, GoLocalWorcester Contributor

Every Friday, GoLocalWorcester takes a look at who's rising and falling in the Massachusetts political world.

Hot

Stephen Lynch: The former ironworker and current Congressman threw his hat in the ring for the special Senate election to replace now-secretary of state John Kerry. Lynch started in Western Mass on Thursday morning, making stops in Springfield and Worcester before an afternoon rally at Ironworkers Local 7 in his home of South Boston. He was scheduled to hit a Kerry "Thank You" rally at Faneuil Hall and a Mass Dems committee meeting afterward, and no one can argue that Lynch is taking the impending primary contest against fellow Congressman Ed Markey and any other comers lightly.

Mo Cowan: Governor Deval Patrick's former chief of staff and chief legal counsel was all set to return to a career in the private sector when the Governor handed him Kerry's seat for the next five months. While Cowan maintained that he has no political aspirations now or in the future, that may change, and having an interim Senate appointment on your resume never hurt anyone.

John Kerry: President Obama's second-term secretary of state deservers a nod if for no reason other than making the first two entries on this week's hot list possible. But Kerry had a noteworthy week in his own right, coasting to the appointment of a lifetime in the office of secretary of state, and his "Thank You" tour on Thursday was a fitting end to nearly 30 years of service for the Commonwealth in Washington.

Scott Brown: The former Republican Senator has been lying low on the political scene, but voters seem to be holding onto fond memories from his earlier Senate contests, as he is still polling strong against Ed Markey and other potential Democratic opponents for the Senate special election. While many observers say the advantage is due to Brown's name recognition from Senate runs in 2010 and 2012 and the Dems are likely to gain ground once campaigning kicks into gear, the special election season is short enough that Brown could ride the wave of support far enough.

Not

Barney Frank: The former Congressman made the mistake of asking for the interim Senate appointment publicly and was rewarded in kind with no return ticket to Washington. While there were doubtless other big names on the short list, Frank was the only one to clamor for the appointment, and thus is the only one to have to publicly acknowledge wanting it and not getting it.

MassGOP: The re-vote and near 50-50 split among committee members in electing their new party chair on Thursday night points to some larger rift in the Bay State's Republican Party. Quincy City Councilor and former Scott Brown aide Kirsten Hughes emerged victorious over Rick Green from the vote in Natick, but just barely. 

Related Articles

• Common Wealth: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Mass Politics?
• Common Wealth: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Mass Politics?
• Common Wealth: Who’s Hot And Who’s Not In Mass Politics?
• Common Wealth: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Mass Politics?
• Common Wealth: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Mass Politics?
• Common Wealth: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Mass Politics?
• Common Wealth: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Mass Politics?
• Common Wealth: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Mass Politics?

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