Mass. Lawmakers Push Kerry Successor Bill

[hyphenate]

Mass. Lawmakers Push Kerry Successor Bill
By STEVE LeBLANC
Associated Press Writer

BOSTON - The Democrat-dominated Massachusetts House has given preliminary approval to a bill that would strip Republican Gov. Mitt Romney of the power to appoint a successor to John Kerry's Senate seat if he is elected president.

The bill, which the Senate approved last week, would require a special election within 160 days after a vacancy is created. The winner would serve the remainder of Kerry's unexpired term, which ends in 2008.

The issue has national implications in the narrowly divided U.S. Senate, with Republicans eager to pick up one of Massachusetts' two Senate seats and Democrats eager to hold on to Kerry's office.

The House version of the bill, approved Tuesday by a vote of 116-34, will now go back to the Senate and then to the House again for final approval before heading to Romney's desk.

Romney, who adamantly opposes the bill, is likely to either veto the bill or send it back with amendments. The Senate passed its version of the bill by a 32-8 margin - more than the two-thirds needed to override a veto.

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[olddem43]

1. good for Mass., the birthplace of our country and

still the most liberal state.

[Beer Snob-50]

2. Glad to see this pass

I would hate to see Senator Mitt Romney representing me in the Congress.

[welshTerrier2]

3. the Romney Hypocrites

let's see ... i think i recall hearing quite a bit of republican whining during the "gay marriage" discussions ...

could i be mistaken? wasn't it the republicans and romney who were going on and on and on about letting the "voters decide" ???

i mean, we couldn't let a handful of Massachusetts Supreme Court justices decide such an important issue, now could we?

but somehow, it's OK to disenfranchise the voters of Massachusetts and let a Governor decide who their next Senator should be ...

there just aren't enough "pox" in hypocrisy for governor hypocrite ...

[skippysmom]

5. "let the voters decide"

unless we don't like what their decision will be.

What will happen if the voters decide they want gay marriage? What will their argument be?

[Kat45]

8. And the voters don't want a republican senator.

They unfortunately do tend to vote for repub governors, but I would say that's to provide some balance in the state govt, which is so heavily Democratic. But a repug senator? No way! I think the last time we had a repub senator was Ed Brooke, a black man whose politics had nothing in common with those running that party today.

[Justice]

4. Who Do You See Running As Republican In This Race

If (when) Kerry wins Presidency - what republicans would run for this seat?

[Beer Snob-50]

6. I see Romney wanting the seat

or maybe William Weld getting back into politics

[Kat45]

7. I can definitely see Romney appointing himself.

:puke:

[Justice]

9. If Not Romney, Who?

Who are the prominent republicans in MA?