In Massachusetts, GOP Sees Vulernable Kerry

[CPT MikeyMike]

It's simply sad that Kerry probably won't have any quality Republican oppisition. Kerry would lose his seat in any other state than Massachusetts. He is a simply a joke and a horrible person who needs to get out of public life for the sake of all of us.

At least with Barney Frank or a Ed Markey, you know what you are going to get, even if you don't agree with them one bit.  With Kerry, it a loose cannon.

[CPT MikeyMike]

Could Cellucci or Weld beat Kerry?

They're yesterday's news.

Better than Kerry: Hell yeah.

Defeat Kerry in '08: Doubt it - probably would get 40-45% though.

[CPT MikeyMike]

It's worth noting that Weld lost the 1996 Senate election (to Kerry) by 7% when he was the sitting governor.

Kerry won in 1996, because of two things...

1. Clinton was running for re-election and won 60% (or so) of the vote.
2. Weld's LT Governor: A. Paul Cellucci

If these two factors were not in play, I'm convinced, Weld would have won.

I recall when that election happened (I was in MA and a junior in HS). The reason why many voted for Kerry over Weld was because many had doubts over Weld's LT Governor taking over if Weld won. Cellucci (Weld's LT Governor) has controversey over his personal finances (he had a huge personal debt), and many did not want to see him as Governor.

Oddly enough, Cellucci became governor in the summer of '97 when Weld resgined. I'm convinced Weld didn't really resign to fight Helms over his appointment - that was a dead duck. I think he was trying to set Cellucci up for the governors race and it worked as Cellucci won in '98.