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Kennedy Successor May Come Soon

Massachusetts Dems say they've got the votes in both houses

By Harry Kimball, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 16, 2009 4:06 PM CDT

(Newser) – It's possible that Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick will be able to name a senator to fill Ted Kennedy's seat sometime next week, the Boston Globe reports. Proponents of the plan say they've now got enough votes, barely, in both state chambers to pull it off. The situation is diciest in the Senate, where Republicans could yet gum up the works with parliamentary maneuvers. But if things hold, Patrick could have a bill to sign by Friday.

[Images (3)]

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Sen. Edward Kennedy. (AP Photo)

Massachusetts Senate President Therese Murray. (AP Photo)

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, seated right, shakes Senate President Therese Murray's hand after signing an ethics bill. (AP Photo)

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I feel quite optimistic that we have the votes on the Senate side. People have thought about the significance of it and people have started moving in a position in support of it. - State Senator Robert O’Leary, Barnstable Democrat

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 13 comments

northeast

Sep 17, 2009 7:43 AM CDT

You'd be surprised. Ever visited a campus?

RockyPneumonia

Sep 17, 2009 5:41 AM CDT

It's helpful when wackos include the word "socialist" in their first sentence, as it indicates that there will be no rational thought expressed in the rest of the comment and, therefore, time need not be wasted on it.

RockyPneumonia

Sep 17, 2009 5:40 AM CDT

Not sure whom you're talking about, since no sane, intelligent reader believes that there are more than a handful of "liberal socialists" in the entire country.

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Boston Globe (Source Grid »)

Politics • Health • US

Congress • Senate • Massachusetts • health care reform • state legislature • Deval Patrick • Edward Kennedy • Richard Tisei • Therese Murray

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Kennedy Successor May Come Soon