Question...won't Kerry's seat be replaced sometime next year and not 2014?

[Drunken Irishman]

Since it's a vacancy and there has to be a special election ... or am I confused?

[boston bean]

1. pretty sure they will hold a special election.

Gov will appoint someone in his absence, but a special election must take place between 145 and 160 days of the vacancy.

[karynnj]

13. Given that Hillary wanted to stay through the hearings on Benghazi, I would assume

that she will not step down until the end of the year or early next year. Assume that the SFRC - with Kerry obviously not involved with running the hearing - has a hearing in January and a floor vote by the end of the month. It is hard to believe it would be faster unless Clinton needs to step down earlier.

There is no vacancy in MA, until Kerry is confirmed and he resigns his seat. If that were to happen in mid January, it would be to the Democrats' interest to take the 160 days - which is slightly over 5 months. This puts you into July. The winner will be in office right before the Senate leaves for most of August! For the winner, there will be very little time between winning and running for reelection.

[BeyondGeography]

2. Special election within 180 days

I think.

[brooklynite]

10. ...followed by another election in 2014

[blm]

3. There will be a special election, and with a new election in 2014.

.

[Cha]

4. Here's some scoop but, it's from cnn so there's a caveat..

By state law, a special general election is required to take place 145 to 160 days after a vacancy occurs. So if Kerry were nominated, confirmed, and then stepped down on January 21 (Inauguration Day), the election would take place between June 14 and June 29, with primary elections being held six weeks earlier.

Whoever wins the special election would serve the final year and a half of Kerry's term and would then be able to run again for a full six-year term in office in the 2014 midterm elections.

Patrick says it's too soon to say whether he'll name a caretaker or appoint someone who would run in the special election. But a Democratic strategist in Massachusetts says Patrick is under pressure to avoid naming a caretaker, in hopes of preventing a divisive primary.

The strategist told CNN that both Rep. Ed Markey and Rep. Michael Capuano have already separately met with Patrick to ask for the appointment if Kerry's seat does open up.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/15/politics/obama-secretary-of-state/

[julian09]

5. Kerry's term is up 2016,not 2014.

[polmaven]

7. No....

He was last elected to the Senate in 2008, so his term is up 2014.

[democrattotheend]

6. Bitter irony here

That used to be the law, until 2004 when Democrats in the Mass. legislature changed the law to prevent Governor Romney from appointing Kerry's replacement if he won the presidency. They now have a temporary appointment but only for 60 days, when they hold a special election.

[Arkana]

8. Aaaaaand there are rumblings that the legislature might just go ahead and change it back.

Blatantly partisan? Yes. Am I a hypocrite for not caring? Absolutely.

Is it exactly what the GOP would do if they were in control? Duh.

[Cha]

9. ..

This is war.

[GoCubsGo]

11. Yep, the repugs have no right to complain.

Especially considering the shit they're pulling in Michigan, and what they pulled in Wisconsin. To hell with them.

[karynnj]

12. There will be a special election next year and an election in 2014 when that seat's term is up

When Brown won in 2010, he has to run again in 2012 because that was when Kennedy's term was up. This time the winner of the special election gets even less time ... as he can't be elected until nearly mid year 2013 and then needs to run again in 2014. The nightmare for Brown should be that in 2014, if he won, he will face the same question - will you vote for a Republican for majority leader. It is hard to see how he wins then. He then would have had to part terms that time-wise add up to less than one normal Senate term. His seniority would NEVER match his own idea of his importance.