Kerry May Get Primary Challenger

[Adlai Stevenson]

Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) "may have competition for the Democratic Senate nomination in 2008," reports the Gloucester Times. Defense attorney Edward O'Reilly "said yesterday he will formally announce his bid at this weekend's Democratic Party convention in Amherst."

"The former Gloucester city councilor and School Committee chairman said Kerry's vote to authorize force in Iraq in 2002 is one reason why he's running."

http://politicalinsider.com/

[Rob]

O'Reilly sounds great. I'd vote for him, but Kerry will win.

[Verily]

With, or by? By a 20% margin, but with 60%.

[Jaggerjack]

Hope this challenger kicks Kerry off. Kerry's really unpopular and the last thing I want (next to the GOP winning the White House in 2008) is a Massachusetts senatorial seat falling to the GOP.

[SPC]

Hope this challenger kicks Kerry off. Kerry's really unpopular and the last thing I want (next to the GOP winning the White House in 2008) is a Massachusetts senatorial seat falling to the GOP.

I wouldn't worry about it. I doubt either Corsi or Healey can beat Kerry.

[Gabu]

Hope this challenger kicks Kerry off. Kerry's really unpopular and the last thing I want (next to the GOP winning the White House in 2008) is a Massachusetts senatorial seat falling to the GOP.

He's not at all unpopular around Democrats.  It's Republicans and to a much lesser extent Independents who are dragging him down - just the sort who aren't likely (or perhaps even able - I don't know their primary rules) to vote in the primary.  And once the primary's over, the Republicans don't have a single credible candidate in the entire state, so I don't particularly anticipate a very difficult battle for Kerry.

[Joe Biden 2020]

I chose 50-60%.  I read somewhere, and I can't remember now, that only 34%, or something around there, want Sen. Kerry to seek re-election while 66%, or close to, don't want him to.  If anyone has a link to that, or further information, please post a link.

I still think (and hope) that Kerry will win not only the primary but re-election.  He will be 64 this December, I believe, so that would put him 65 on January 3, 2009 which would only put him nearly 71 by the time 2014 comes around, should he decide to run again, then.

[Gabu]

I chose 50-60%.  I read somewhere, and I can't remember now, that only 34%, or something around there, want Sen. Kerry to seek re-election while 66%, or close to, don't want him to.  If anyone has a link to that, or further information, please post a link.

Of whom most were Republicans and Independents.  Democrats wanted him to run for re-election by like 60+%.

[DownWithTheLeft]

Hope this challenger kicks Kerry off. Kerry's really unpopular and the last thing I want (next to the GOP winning the White House in 2008) is a Massachusetts senatorial seat falling to the GOP.

IF (an amazingly large IF) John Kerry loses the primary AND Mitt Romney is either the presidential or VP nominee AND IF the Republicans find a decent challenger, they COULD win this seat.

[WalterMitty]

i doubt his challenger will be able to raise the money to make it to primary day.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Kerry gets well over 60%.

Hope this challenger kicks Kerry off. Kerry's really unpopular and the last thing I want (next to the GOP winning the White House in 2008) is a Massachusetts senatorial seat falling to the GOP.

Massachusetts is simply not going to elect any Republican to the Senate, period. There is zero possibility of that happening.

[Kevin]

Kerry gets well over 60%.

Hope this challenger kicks Kerry off. Kerry's really unpopular and the last thing I want (next to the GOP winning the White House in 2008) is a Massachusetts senatorial seat falling to the GOP.

Massachusetts is simply not going to elect any Republican to the Senate, period. There is zero possibility of that happening.

Although it is very unlikely, Anything can happen in politics.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

People don't like Kerry because he lost to a Republican. Why would they vote for a Republican to replace him?

[DownWithTheLeft]

People don't like Kerry because he lost to a Republican. Why would they vote for a Republican to replace him?

There is a difference between primaries and generals.  Ned Lamont was a wing-bat who could win a primary, but even in liberal CT lost the general to a 3rd party candidate

[Gabu]

Hope this challenger kicks Kerry off. Kerry's really unpopular and the last thing I want (next to the GOP winning the White House in 2008) is a Massachusetts senatorial seat falling to the GOP.

IF (an amazingly large IF) John Kerry loses the primary AND Mitt Romney is either the presidential or VP nominee AND IF the Republicans find a decent challenger, they COULD win this seat.

Who would the GOP run?

They don't hold a single notable office in all of Massachusetts now that Romney is gone.

[DownWithTheLeft]

Hope this challenger kicks Kerry off. Kerry's really unpopular and the last thing I want (next to the GOP winning the White House in 2008) is a Massachusetts senatorial seat falling to the GOP.

IF (an amazingly large IF) John Kerry loses the primary AND Mitt Romney is either the presidential or VP nominee AND IF the Republicans find a decent challenger, they COULD win this seat.

Who would the GOP run?

They don't hold a single notable office in all of Massachusetts now that Romney is gone.

Maybe Romney, but that wouldn't happen and would eliminate scenario number 2.  Maybe get Bill Weld to come back or a St. Sen. like Bill Tarr

[Verily]

Bill Weld would have residency issues. He's lived in New York too long to run in Massachusetts any more.

[Blerpiez]

Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) "may have competition for the Democratic Senate nomination in 2008," reports the Gloucester Times. Defense attorney Edward O'Reilly "said yesterday he will formally announce his bid at this weekend's Democratic Party convention in Amherst."

"The former Gloucester city councilor and School Committee chairman said Kerry's vote to authorize force in Iraq in 2002 is one reason why he's running."

http://politicalinsider.com/

So he's going to campaign on that Kerry originally voted for the Iraq war, no matter how much he opposes it today?  I see no reason why this would work- it's nothing like Connecticut, where Lieberman lost the primary because he was actually pro-war.

If the Republicans were to put forward a credible candidate, it would have to be someone outside of state politics, as none of the Rep. state senators/representatives have any name recognition outside their own district.  And Mitt Romney has talked insulted Massachusetts enough that he will not be a help to anyone lower down the ticket and certainly could not run on his own here.