Is it possible — even remotely possible — that in Massachusetts, where Kennedys have ruled for many years, a Republican candidate could have a real chance to defeat a Democrat for a United States Senate seat today?
Well, that question may be answered in just a matter of hours — with big consequences.
Martha Coakley, Massachusetts’ attorney general, is the Democrat nominee for the vacancy resulting from the recent death of Sen. Ted Kennedy. State Sen. Scott Brown is the Republican nominee. But, believe it or not, late polling suggested Attorney General Coakley’s big early lead was melting, and the outcome was in real doubt.
That’s really hard to believe in Massachusetts. It’s hard to believe in Washington, too. If Democrat Coakley wins, that will mean a safe 60-vote Democrat majority in the U.S. Senate for President Barack Obama. But a Republican Brown victory would deny President Barack Obama the magic Senate margin he desperately needs.
That’s why President Obama flew to usually safe-for-Democrats Massachusetts to say the race was about “whether we’re going forward or going backwards.”
Will President Obama and Massachusetts Democrats pull it out? Or will Sen. Brown win? The stakes are huge. We’ll know tonight.