Massachusetts is well on its way to having a second senator, CQ Politics reports.
After a long day of often spirited debate, the state House voted 95 to 58 to pass legislation that would give Gov. Deval Patrick the power to appoint an interim senator to fill the seat of the late Edward Kennedy.
The state Senate is expected to pass the
bill as well, but Republican stalling tactics could delay that until
the middle of next week.
Meanwhile, the Boston Globe says the two likely candidates for the appointment are former Gov. Michael
Dukakis (D) and former DNC chairman Paul Kirk, who is chairman of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library.