Now that John Kerry has been announced as Barack Obama's choice for our next Secretary of State, the speculation as to who will run in the 2013 special election to replace Kerry is heating up. As has been diaried earlier, Connecticut resident Ted Kennedy Jr. is considering a run. I don't like nepotism, it's one of the reasons why we need affirmative action in this country and Ted Jr.'s biggest strength is essentially "Vote for me because my dad was a great Senator". If he runs, I hope that he shows that he can earn my vote. At least, Massachusetts will be spared from another Martha Coakley run since she told AP that she's not interested.
The Stoughton Patch has it that Conservadem Stephen Lynch is seriously considering a run for Senate. Lynch is the most conservative member of the Massachusetts delegation. He voted no to Obamacare. Lynch is also anti-choice but got a 100 rating from NARAL in 2011 for voting against the Republican anti-choice bills. Lynch does have strong support from labor as he does have a strong pro-labor record so he does have that advantage.
Noted right-wing rag the Boston Herald(so consider the source here and I hate the headline they use) says that their Democratic sources have Barney Frank as the leading contender to be the interim Senator. The Washington Post notes that Frank has not said that he wouldn't take the job. Frank would be a great choice for Senator even if it was for only five months, and I wouldn't hold it against him if he decided to do the right thing and run to hold that seat for the Democrats until at least 2014.
3:54 PM PT: Took Paleo's advice and changed the description of Lynch from Blue Dog to conservadem to more accurately portray that Lynch is conservative on social issues and tends to be liberal on economic ones.
For the record, I will not vote for Lynch and am totally against his candidacy. I would prefer Markey, Capuano, Tsongas or Ted Kennedy Jr. to Lynch. (not to mention Frank if he runs)