Massachusetts United States Senate election, 2008

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The 2008 Massachusetts U.S. Senate election will take place on November 4, 2008. John Kerry, the incumbent since 1984, is one of the most prominent politicians in America, and ran for President in 2004. However, Senator Kerry has never been extremely popular in his home state, and historically has attracted strong Republican challengers, including former Massachusetts Republican Party Chairman Ray Shamie and former Governor of Massachusetts William Weld. There had been rumors that Senator Kerry might have run for President once again in 2008 leaving an open seat which would have attracteed a number of prominent Democratic candidates including Congressmen Marty Meehan, Ed Markey and Stephen Lynch. However, on January 24, 2007, Kerry announced that he would run for re-election to the United States Senate, and not for the Presidency, qualming any rumors over his possible successors. Nevertheless, Republicans will plan to challenge this heavily Democratic Massachusetts seat, one that they believe is somewhat winnable given the Senator's -13% net job approval rating, and the fact that he has never taken more than 55% of the vote against a Republican challenger. The Republican Party did not run a candidate against Kerry in 2002, when he received 80% of the vote against Libertarian Michael Cloud.

Massachusetts has not elected a Republican Senator since Edward Brooke in 1972, and has not elected any Republican to Congress since Peter Torkildsen and Peter Blute were defeated in 1996.

Contents 1 Potential Candidates 1.1 Democratic Party 1.2 Republican Party 2 See also 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Potential Candidates

[edit] Democratic Party

• John Kerry - Incumbent Senator

[edit] Republican Party

• Jerome Corsi - Author of Unfit for Command, a book criticizing John Kerry's war record, Corsi has stated that he will run.
• Andy Card - Former Chief of Staff for President Bush
• Scott Brown - Massachusetts State Senator and Former State Rep. from Wrentham
• Charles Baker - Harvard Pilgrim CEO and Former Governor William Weld Advisor
• Chris Egan - Real Estate Mogul and GOP Activist
• Curt Schilling - Pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. The Boston Herald suggested on January 26, 2007 that he is considering a run for Senate as a Republican. Schilling however announced on WEEI radio in Boston on January 29 that he intends to pitch in 2008, leaving little possibility of a run for Senate.
• Bruce E. Tarr - Massachusetts State Senator and Former State Rep. from Gloucester (Has stated that he is not interested in the race.)
• Michael Sullivan - U.S. Attorney from Massachusetts
• Kerry Healey - Former Lt. Governor and 2006 Gubernatorial candidate
• Jeff Beatty - Unsuccessful 2006 Congressional Candidate from Harwich, announced he would be setting up an Exploratory Committee to look into the race.

[edit] See also

• United States Senate elections, 2008

[edit] References

• John Kerry not running for President
• GOP ready to pounce on vulnerable pol
• Senator Kerry's SurveyUSA Job Approval Ratings

[edit] External links

• John Kerry official campaign site

Recent Massachusetts elections (with winners)
General		2002, 2004, 2006, 2008
State	State Senate:	2002, 2004, 2006, 2008
	State House:	2002, 2004, 2006, 2008
	Governor:	1982 (Dukakis), 1986 (Dukakis), 1990 (Weld), 1994 (Weld), 1998 (Cellucci), 2002 (Romney), 2006 (Patrick), 2010
	Council:	2002, 2004, 2006, 2008
Federal	U.S. Senate:	Class 1: 1982 (Kennedy), 1988 (Kennedy), 1994 (Kennedy), 2000 (Kennedy), 2006 (Kennedy), 2012 Class 2: 1978 (Tsongas), 1984 (Kerry), 1990 (Kerry), 1996 (Kerry), 2002 (Kerry), 2008
	U.S. House:	2002, 2004, 2006, 2008
	President :	2000, 2004, 2008