By Mary Whitfill, News Correspondent
Last Thursday Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Joseph Kennedy III placed their right hands on their chosen Bibles as they were sworn in as the state’s newest elected officials.
Replacing two prominent local political figures, Barney Frank and Scott Brown, Kennedy and Warren are only part of the rapidly transforming Massachusetts delegation.
In addition to the new senator and representative, sitting Senator John Kerry is preparing to potentially leave Congress to replace Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State and Representative Edward Markey is planning to run for his seat, possibly against Brown. If Kerry leaves, the state will be losing the eighth most senior member of the Senate and, if Markey is chosen to replace him, the ninth most senior member of the House.
US Representative Michael Capuano and state Representative Stephen Lynch have also expressed interest in running for Kerry’s seat, if he is confirmed Secretary of State by the Senate.
In Congress, seniority plays a large role in representatives ability to control the national agenda and be heard. With the loss of Kerry and Markey, and with two first time congressmen holding seats, the commonwealth could end up relying on its junior members to lead the way.
“Seniority is less of a thing than it used to be,” Northeastern Political Science Professor William D. Kay said. “There is more of an informal seniority [in Congress] now, based on rising up in the ranks, but it is still possible for the junior people to get important positions. However, there are parts of Congress that are still a ‘clique-y’ old boys club where junior congressmen are expected to be seen and not heard.”
While Senator Kerry prepares for confirmation hearings in the coming weeks, eyes fall to Governor Deval Patrick as the nation waits to see whom he will appoint to the interim senate seat that will need to be filled if Kerry leaves.
“I think Governor Patrick’s approach is good in that he made it clear that [the interim senator] should not be someone who wants to run for the position,” Northeastern Professor of Political Science John Portz said. “I agree that whoever it is needs to focus on what they are doing in Washington and not on running.”
Last week, Frank, a former representative, requested Governor Patrick appoint him to the interim seat. Should Kerry resign, a special election would be held to permanently fill the vacant seat and Frank has reported that he will not run for the spot.
“[The interim senator] needs to be someone who can step into the position as a quick-study, like Barney Frank,” Portz said. “It is a short period of time and there is no point in having someone who will have to take time to learn what is going on. [Frank] has been on the House side, but he knows the issues.”
Patrick has stayed quiet about his search for an intern senator, noncommittally stating that while Frank would do a fine job in the position, there are a lot of factors to be considered.
Looking ahead, the next few years could see even more local political change as former Administrator of the national Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Donald Berwick recently announced his consideration to run for governor in 2014. Deval Patrick, the current governor, has said he will not seek reelection.
And Mayor Thomas Menino’s recent health problems have raised questions about whether his position is vulnerable in the November mayoral election. Menino was released from Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital last month, after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and recovering from an upper respiratory infection and blood clot.
