Could a Republican replace Ted Kennedy?
With the special election in Massachusetts two weeks away, a new Rasmussen poll is causing earthquake rumbles in political circles.
Atty. Gen. Martha Coakley, the Democrat darling vying to pick up the gauntlet of the late liberal lion Ted Kennedy, is -- as expected -- leading over Republican state Sen. Scott Brown.
But the news from a new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of likely voters is that Brown has closed to within nine points of Coakley, a single-digit distance unthinkable just a few weeks ago. Even more telling, as commentator Jules Crittenden noted, both candidates get better than 70% of the vote from members of their respective parties, but Brown leads 65% to 21% among voters not affiliated with either of the major parties.
Coakley took a six-day vacation over the holiday, leading some Democrats to worry that she is acting too much like she has the election in hand. Jubilant when she won the Democratic primary Dec. 8, she raised hands with the state's now senior Sen. John Kerry. Now, she's ducking calls for a one-on-one debate with Brown.
As for Brown, he's using Democratic icons like President John F. Kennedy -- Ted Kennedy's brother and a hero in Massachusetts -- to pitch a message of lower taxes.
Of course there are a lot more registered Democrats in Massachusetts than Republicans. Still, the new numbers are rumbling through both parties and will likely inspire lots more time, attention and money on the get-out-the-vote efforts of both campaigns, critical in low-vote special elections.
The race could be a bellwether for this year's midterm election. And it could impact President Obama's hopes for healthcare reform. Among Senate vote-counters, Brown is seen by both parties as the 41st vote against reform.
-- Johanna Neuman
Photo credit: Reuters
Click here for Twitter alerts of each new Ticket item. Or follow us @latimestot. Or join us over here on The Ticket's new Facebook FAN page.
Replacing Ted Kennedy's seat with a Repub. senator would be a good change for Massachusetts.
Posted by: Z40 | January 05, 2010 at 12:31 PM
Rasmussen had McCain winning or tied with Obama in the 2008 election as I recall. They are just trying to energize the base.
Posted by: topgun | January 05, 2010 at 12:47 PM
i'm not so sure about the Rasmussen polls results
Posted by: quiche | January 05, 2010 at 01:50 PM
"hopes for healthcare 'reform'"
I do not think that word means what you think it means.
"Reform" my patootey.
Posted by: Liberty Jane | January 05, 2010 at 05:37 PM
I hope Brown wins. He would make a much better Senator than Martha Coakley. Massachusetts should embrace change--Camelot was not a good thing for them.
Posted by: Stella | January 05, 2010 at 06:03 PM
"...the 41st vote against reform."
Nice, neutral phrasing there. Why not throw in something about being obstructionist on other Obama priorities too, while you're at it? I understand this is a blog, but that's a rather harsh partisan tone to take on the issue.
(Why would you expect neutral on a politics blog?)
Posted by: Ron Binns | January 05, 2010 at 08:07 PM
"...liberal lion..."?
Liberal whale.
Posted by: Andy Eppink | January 05, 2010 at 09:35 PM
It's about time that a Republican took back one of those Democrat sinecures in the senate seats from the Bay State. Really, is Massachusetts -- let alone the nation -- well-served by electing only Democrat senators-for-life?
Now if only California would split the difference and put a Republican in the senate... one can dream.
Posted by: Arctic Fox | January 06, 2010 at 03:30 PM
There's a third candidate in the race. Could you at least pretend to be fair and mention *all* the candidates?
Posted by: rah62 | January 06, 2010 at 07:24 PM
I don't trust scott brown nor the republican party right now. vote against the party of no and elect martha coakley for senator.
Posted by: matsuiny2004 | January 07, 2010 at 02:31 AM
Coakley's campaign has been quite lethargic. Brown's energy and his fresh take on things might just carry the day.
Posted by: Jeff | January 07, 2010 at 03:43 AM
Rasmussen is a Republican polling outfit that always 'overweights' Republican opinion. They are rarely correct in the long run. Most politicians pay no attention to them.
Posted by: Rick | January 07, 2010 at 07:01 AM
Aren't the voting AMERICANS of Mass sick and tired of the CORRUPTION in Congress? Why put yet ANOTHER FREAK EXTREMIST to support Wall Street, Hedge Funds, and Mutual Fund robber barons????
Posted by: Robert NO longer in LA | January 07, 2010 at 08:48 AM
Anyone who has the support of Gomer Pyle (he served in Vietnam) has my vote....NOT
If there has ever been a time to enforce the Tenth Amendment and Second Amendment it is now.
Posted by: habu | January 13, 2010 at 05:44 AM