MA Special Election Watch Thread

[Antonio the Sixth]

Unions not endorsing yet.

http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_politics/truth_squad/2013/01/markey_gets_thumbs_down_union_big

“The field is weak at best, and in a special election beating Brown will take a lot of work and a lot of money,” he said, adding that U.S. Sen. John F. Kerry’s potential confirmation as secretary of state is likely to send Brown right back to Capitol Hill. “This scenario is man-made and it shows the lack of respect that those people have in Washington for the amount of work we did in the Brown-Warren election. To re-create the scenario is a slap in the face to all the people who volunteered their time, door-to-door and made donations.”

The bitterness must be pretty significant out there for him to slam the president like that to the press.

It makes absolutely no sense though. As if it was Obama's fault that his most deserving pick for SoS (excluding Rice) happened to be a Senator form MA.

If "beating Brown will take a lot of work and a lot of money", then stop whining and give Markey the work and money he needs.

[minionofmidas]

It makes absolutely no sense though. As if it was Obama's fault that his most deserving pick for SoS (excluding Rice) happened to be a Senator form MA.

Why would one think so? "Deserving" is a completely inappropriate word for positions this powerful, anyways.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Why should they? Markey won't give them anything back. He'll be mostly useless to them, not doing anything they want unless the Democratic Senate leadership tells him to. Lynch, on the other hand, is their man and working class.

[Antonio the Sixth]

It makes absolutely no sense though. As if it was Obama's fault that his most deserving pick for SoS (excluding Rice) happened to be a Senator form MA.

Why would one think so? "Deserving" is a completely inappropriate word for positions this powerful, anyways.

Sorry, I was looking for "qualified" and for some reason could not find that word at the time. Point is, Kerry was a good pick.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Why should they? Markey won't give them anything back. He'll be mostly useless to them, not doing anything they want unless the Democratic Senate leadership tells him to. Lynch, on the other hand, is their man and working class.[/quote]

What would Lynch do for the working class that Markey wouldn't? That's a honest question, I know very little about those politicians.

[RogueBeaver]

Policy-wise, not much, as Nathan noted. Just a somewhat better cultural fit for the Southies who make up the core of Brown's Dem supporters.

[minionofmidas]

It makes absolutely no sense though. As if it was Obama's fault that his most deserving pick for SoS (excluding Rice) happened to be a Senator form MA.

Why would one think so? "Deserving" is a completely inappropriate word for positions this powerful, anyways.

Sorry, I was looking for "qualified" and for some reason could not find that word at the time. Point is, Kerry was a good pick.

He's not a "wtf", atrocious pick or anything of the sort. He would probably not have been mine (no, don't ask me who my pick would have been. No Congresscritter though.)

Lynch is a union man, an actual elected union rep once upon a time before his political career. He has the contacts there, he'd provide access and a voice to argue their position in Senate committees etc. Markey's just some professional politician who's never worked a day in his life and who doesn't have these kind of connections at all. That's not to say he'd vote against union-backed legislation that gets the support of the party leadership - he's a party soldier, he'll vote for it. But that's not all there is to crafting legislation, especially in a chamber as small as that one.
The flipside being that Markey is a reliable social and environmental liberal. While Lynch is pro-life and sorta anti-gay.  Really, neither is what I'd prefer (though if forced to choose between them I'll take Markey... I'd much prefer to bake me another Warren. Which is something the unions would get behind, obviously.)
Small wonder Markey is the establishment choice, then, the national Democratic establishment being what it is. That union official is probably overstating his point to make it clear they're not taking such a meh choice foisted on them lying down. In the end they'll probably have to.

[Antonio the Sixth]

I see. Anyway, my point was that the Unions' main interest is always to have the Democrat candidate (whoever it is) win.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

I see. Anyway, my point was that the Unions' main interest is always to have the Democrat candidate (whoever it is) win.

That's not so cut-and-dry in New England. A lot of Republicans there are pro-labor. Not necessarily Scott Brown, but Republicans always seem to chase after union endorsements when they're incumbents.

[Antonio the Sixth]

A lot of Republicans there are pro-labor.

Even at the federal level though? I think it's pretty safe to assume any Congressional Republican is going to vote against the working class' interests >95% of the time - or be thrown out of the party.

[Brittain33]

A lot of Republicans there are pro-labor.

Even at the federal level though? I think it's pretty safe to assume any Congressional Republican is going to vote against the working class' interests >95% of the time - or be thrown out of the party.

Consider who the Republicans representing New England in D.C. have been.

[minionofmidas]

A lot of Republicans there are pro-labor.

Even at the federal level though? I think it's pretty safe to assume any Congressional Republican is going to vote against the working class' interests >95% of the time - or be thrown out of the party.

It certainly used to be true in upstate New York as long as places like Buffalo and Syracuse had Republican Representatives.
Which unsurprisingly was back when people weren't thrown out of the party over such issues yet.

[RogueBeaver]

Patrick knows who he wants for interim, and it doesn't sound like Frank.

http://www.wcvb.com/news/politics/Patrick-mum-on-top-pick-for-interim-Kerry-replacement/-/9848766/18164988/-/4tiugz/-/index.html

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

A lot of Republicans there are pro-labor.

Even at the federal level though? I think it's pretty safe to assume any Congressional Republican is going to vote against the working class' interests >95% of the time - or be thrown out of the party.

A full 0 of 0 New England Republicans in the U.S. House support working class interests. But I suppose that's tempered a bit by the fact that all 0 of 0 New England Republicans in the U.S. House actually support unions' and workers' rights.

[Antonio the Sixth]

A lot of Republicans there are pro-labor.

Even at the federal level though? I think it's pretty safe to assume any Congressional Republican is going to vote against the working class' interests >95% of the time - or be thrown out of the party.

A full 0 of 0 New England Republicans in the U.S. House support working class interests. But I suppose that's tempered a bit by the fact that all 0 of 0 New England Republicans in the U.S. House actually support unions' and workers' rights.

The point is, is this even hypothetically possible? I highly doubt that, and Brown is a good illustration.

[RogueBeaver]

Lynch is jumping in next week. Still no word on what Brown's doing.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/01/25/lynch-set-run-for-senate-special-election/wkF0sN2TXufhF2H9tNxMgK/story.html?s_campaign=sm_tw

[Roemerista]

Lynch is jumping in, and it sounds as he was waiting until he lined up some serious union support for his move.

I am still of the opinion Lynch could undermine the Brown coalition more than Markay, but a Lynch vs a Tisei/Weld/Baker type would be an entirely different animal.

[Benj]

Lynch is jumping in, and it sounds as he was waiting until he lined up some serious union support for his move.

I am still of the opinion Lynch could undermine the Brown coalition more than Markay, but a Lynch vs a Tisei/Weld/Baker type would be an entirely different animal.

Lynch is basically Coakley 2.0. He wouldn't undermine the Brown coalition at all.

[Brittain33]

I am still of the opinion Lynch could undermine the Brown coalition more than Markay, but a Lynch vs a Tisei/Weld/Baker type would be an entirely different animal.

Lynch undermines the Dem coalition far more effectively than he undermines the Brown coalition...

[seanNJ9]

I'm starting to doubt that Brown will run. I think he's going to go for the Governor next year instead.

nope

Stephen Lynch just entered the race.

[RogueBeaver]

Lynch is flip-flopping.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/01/25/lynch-set-run-for-senate-special-election/wkF0sN2TXufhF2H9tNxMgK/story.html?s_campaign=sm_tw

[Tender Branson]

New MassINC poll shows strong Brown lead:

In the general election, what if the Republican party’s candidate were Scott Brown? Would you vote for Republican Scott Brown or for the Democratic party’s candidate? Order rotated,

44% - Scott Brown
36% - Democratic party’s candidate

In the general election, what if the Democratic party’s candidate were Ed Markey and the Republican party’s candidate were Scott Brown? Would you be more likely to vote for Republican Scott Brown or Democrat Ed Markey? Order rotated,

53% - Scott Brown
31% - Ed Markey

http://031d482.netsolhost.com/WordPress/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Topline-01-13-Q1-Omnibus.pdf

Favorables:

55-32 favorable - Brown
24-17 favorable - Markey
19-14 favorable - Lynch
18-15 favorable - Capuano

[RogueBeaver]

Brown leads Markey 53-31, per MassINC.

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2013/01/25/brown_starts_with_solid_lead_in_massachusetts.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PoliticalWire+%28Political+Wire%29

[Zioneer]

I really don't understand why Scott Brown is so loved in Massachusetts.

[Antonio the Sixth]

New MassINC poll shows strong Brown lead:

In the general election, what if the Republican party’s candidate were Scott Brown? Would you vote for Republican Scott Brown or for the Democratic party’s candidate? Order rotated,

44% - Scott Brown
36% - Democratic party’s candidate

In the general election, what if the Democratic party’s candidate were Ed Markey and the Republican party’s candidate were Scott Brown? Would you be more likely to vote for Republican Scott Brown or Democrat Ed Markey? Order rotated,

53% - Scott Brown
31% - Ed Markey

http://031d482.netsolhost.com/WordPress/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Topline-01-13-Q1-Omnibus.pdf

Favorables:

55-32 favorable - Brown
24-17 favorable - Markey
19-14 favorable - Lynch
18-15 favorable - Capuano

Seems that name recognition is the key. Not exactly good news for Brown...

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

https://twitter.com/scottbrownma/status/294988208343769089

[RogueBeaver]