It looks like longtime Congressman Ed Markey
will seek the Democratic Party’s nomination for the Special
Senate election here in Massachusetts. Markey is expected to make a
formal announcement in the new year.
The race was, of course, necessitated by President Obama
appointing John Kerry as Secretary of State last week.
Markey was first elected to Congress in 1976.
This is probably Markey’s biggest liability. Scott Brown’s two
biggest problems against Elizabeth Warren was that a) she was
an outsider who had never held political office and b) was the
darling of progressives. Now it’s true that Markey has a long
record as a progressive but I doubt he’ll generate the kind of
passion Warren did amongst the left of the left-wing.
I think Markey is a tailor made opponent for Scott Brown. Sure
Markey will get money but I doubt he has Warren’s organization. As
such I think Brown would have easier time with this Washington
insider than he did with Warren.
