Poll: Who Should Run For Kennedy’s Seat?

By The WBUR Newsroom
Sep 3, 2009, 2:11 PM
18 Comments

In the week since the death of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, the list of his potential successors has grown to include his nephew and former congressman, current and former U.S. representatives from Massachusetts, the state’s attorney general and even a former Red Sox pitcher.

Who would be your favorite candidate to run for the “Kennedy seat?” Click a candidate’s name and then click “Vote.”

Who will be the next senator from Massachusetts?(polls)

Related Links

Payne’s pick: Michael Dukakis

How Martha Coakley made her name

Debate over interim successor moves along

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Brian Condron

Please remove Schilling and stick to the serious candidates even the lesser tiered.
WIlliam

Is it obligatory to have something Red Sox related in all things Boston?
Christian Toglan

MA needs dependable & experienced legislator on the Hill to protect and further the interests of the state in the Senate.
Charlie Mc

I like Joe Kennedy but I think Martha Coakley has a resevoir of courage filled by a life of great honesty and strength.
John Mark

I would take Schilling over any the career politicians whose only concern is to advance themselves. I thought Coakley wanted to be our Attorney General? Oh wait here is a better opportunity. Everyone wants change and yet we keep electing the same people over and over. Unemployment and combat deaths both are 20 year highs. Change!
Paul D

The Congressman who represents my district, Rep. Jim McGovern, would be an excellent choice to follow in Ted Kennedy’s footsteps. While no one can replace Ted, McGovern’s record closely mirrors that of Kennedy’s. Like Ted, he’s been a champion of affordable health care, against the war in Iraq and always on the side of those who most need help. I’ll be encouraging him to run and hope others do, too.
http://www.earthfriendlybottle.com rodger cohen

Martha Coakley is the definition of an opportunistic pol, and a joke at best. Wouldn’t it be nice if she actually worked at the job she was elected to do? I will campaign to make sure she does not get in, and will hope that Joe decides to run.
Robert Dietz

Stephen Lynch indicates he will run whether or not a Kennedy runs. It shows commitment to the office, strong character and seperates him from the political wishy washy self serving politicians who dont have the will or desire to have to fight or prove themselves.
Dan Mahan

A natural would be Edward Kennedy, Jr. Great story, nice guy, stayed out of the limelight, has helped the disabled among many
Dan mahan

Scott Brown???? LOL, no LMAO

He is a local senator who is famous for having a daughter as an idol contestant and wife as a newswoman, that is it and that is all. Goodnight Scott, beam me up
Tyrone

Aside form Joe Kennedy’s corruption baggage making him untenable if the voters were rational, for once I’d like to see Democracy rather than Feudalism govern an election here in Massachusetts. Voting for people because of their family relationship to previous politicians IS Feudalism, and is the dominant reason the political systems in 3rd world places like Pakistan fail time after time.
Seoulman

What could Curt Schilling possibly understand about the needs of people from MA and its political climate? He’s only been a “resident” (and I use that term loosely) for 5 years. I’d like to see him stick to philanthropy and donate his time around the state.
Ed W

Marty Meehan? I hope not. I was an early supporter. He’s bright and articulate. But he sold out his when he reneged on his campaign promise not to run for more than 2 terms in Congress. Then he sold out again, on his constituents after he’d built up seniority, and quit his congressional seat to take a lucrative, ‘cush’ job close to home – all the while holding on to a $4M+ campaign war chest. Clearly Marty does what’s best for Marty. And that’s not the motivation I want in Ted’s successor.
sara mattes

Why is Vickie Kennedy not on hits list?
She’s smart-Senate, street, intellect-in every way “samrt.”
She certainly could represent the values her husband fought for, and she knows and has the respect of seated Senators.
She would hit the ground running-no learning curve.
And she certainly demonstrated grace and generosity of spirit in the past year.
MA would be well served if she chose to run and won.
Rudolf

It’s not “Kennedy’s Seat”. It is a Senate seat of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which was held for a period by the late Senator Kennedy. The seat does not and did not belong to any individual.
Theresa

Stephen Lynch is the least progressive of all the democrats on your list. His lack of support for real health care reform, would not carry forward the late Senator Kennedy’s commitment to universal health care, which I definitely want to see continued.
Marcia B

The best way to honor Ted Kennedy’s legacy would be to elect someone who has demonstrated a commitment to the same causes. Congressman Jim McGovern has served his constituents and this state honorably. His voting record shows that he is not beholden to special interests, and he does not have the overweening personal ambition that seems to infect some of the front running candidates. We need someone who will be an ardent and articulate supporter of Health Care Reform.
Michael

Curt Schilling has shown his commitment to Massachusetts by staying here even after retiring from the Red Sox. That said, after 50 years of being misrepresented by an ultra-liberal, this state does not need to go to the opposite extreme and elect an ultra-conservative. We need a US Senator who is balanced, moderate, and not a knee-jerk ideologue. I don’t see any such candidates running yet, but there’s still time.