Massachusetts pols with money in hand but no place to go

[Ian David]

Campaign finance
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN
January 31, 2007 4:58:23 PM

Had John Kerry decided to run for president again, the state’s political floodgates were ready to open. A number of pols would have gone after his Senate seat, leaving openings for others, and on down the line.

It didn’t happen. Assuming Kerry wins re-election, come 2009 it will have been a quarter-century since the Bay State chose a new senator.

That’s caused a pile-up of officeholders across the state. And, thanks to the paucity of serious challenges to incumbents, they rarely have to spend the campaign funds they amass. They can just keep raising and saving, and raising and saving . . . hoping to one day have a campaign to spend their war chests on.

<snip>

The Massachusetts congressional delegation ranks among the top money-hoarders in the country (and they took heat for not giving some of that dough to needier candidates in ’06). Our lower-level pols don’t do too badly themselves. The Phoenix found 30 sitting on a quarter-million dollars or more. And, of course, it won’t be long before recent office-winners, such as Deval Patrick and Timothy Murray, climb the list.

More:
http://www.thephoenix.com/article_ektid32909.aspx

[BlueManDude]

1. I think Kerryy will need his money this time around

this won't be a cakewalk like EMK's 2006 race was. Is a Dem primary challenge out of the question? I also think the GOP will field a credible candidate (Healy, Card etc). JFK's still a heavy fave but this one's not a slam dunk.

[primative1]

2. Healy?

Lol ... can you imagine it? :)

[Mass]

3. Healy, a credible candidate? Please...

As for Card, half of the people in the state do not know him and the other half will never vote for him because he is a friend of *.