The Boston Globe reports former Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) “is dialing back his opposition to the pending nomination of former senator Chuck Hagel as secretary of defense, saying he is willing to look past the Nebraska Republican’s comments about gays because it is more important that his views prevail on drawing down the war in Afghanistan and reducing wasteful defense spending.”

Frank is angling for the appointment to Sen. John Kerry’s (D-MA) seat should he resign to become secretary of state. The confirmation of Hagel could be one of the first votes for the new interim senator.

Maggie Haberman looks at New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s (R) slam of House Republicans last week and notes his tone is starting to get on the nerves of conservatives nationally.

“It was vintage Christie — and then some — as he recounted how his calls to Boehner went unanswered, and it articulated clearly a frustration with a dysfunctional Washington system that polls show most Americans share. But it laid stark just how divergent the needs of his reelection bid in New Jersey are from the realities of a potential presidential run in a party that’s tacked hard right not just on social issues but on spending and deficit reduction.”

“Local media and elected officials, along with some national pundits, heaped praise on the governor, who spoke with characteristic bluntness… Still, Christie hit some headwinds nationally from conservatives — including Christie fans — who thought he may have gone overboard hitting an already-diminished national Republican brand. On the party’s right flank, some telegraphed a clear sentiment that Christie’s straight-talking truth teller act had worn on them.”

“Get ready for what could very well be the most expensive gubernatorial elections ever,” Politico reports.

“As if the national profiles of the expected candidates in the New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial races weren’t enough to draw bundles of cash, the new campaign finance structure has state-based and national outside groups considering pouring millions of dollars into these key off-presidential year races.”

“Super PACs, once widely thought to be limited to federal campaigns, are now expected to play on the state level after a series of court decisions effectively rendered state laws restricting independent groups moot. Tax-exempt nonprofits that don’t have to disclose donors — including big names like Americans for Prosperity and American Bridge 21st Century — are also considering directing their flood of money down to the state level for these races, while a secretive nonprofit supporting New Jersey GOP Gov. Chris Christie has already run ads praising his work.”

Former Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) told Morning Joe that he wants to be named interim senator if Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) is confirmed as the next Secretary of State.

Said Frank: “A month ago, or a few weeks ago, I said I wasn’t interested. It was kind of like you’re about to graduate, and they said: ‘You gotta go to summer school.’ But (the fiscal cliff deal) now means that February, March and April are going to be among the most important months in American financial history.”

[Read more…]

Virginia Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling (R) confirmed that he has been “polling voters and meeting with business leaders to gauge the viability of an independent bid for governor,” the Washington Post reports.

“Bolling said he was considering a run as an independent candidate when he suspended his campaign for the Republican nomination in November. But some political observers doubted his seriousness, even as he went on over the next month to become uncharacteristically vocal on a number issues, including uranium mining and arming school teachers.”

The Week reviews the most interesting political races to keep an eye on this year.

“You’ve got to check the travel records. I’ve come back and forth every weekend, almost, for three years, and I see,
you know, most of the delegation, and I have never seen Ed on the
airplane — ever.”

— Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA), quoted by the Boston Globe, questioning whether potential U.S. Senate special election rival Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) still lives in Massachusetts.

Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) said he supported Rep. Edward Markey’s (D-MA) decision to seek his Senate seat, “heaping strong praise on the Massachusetts congressman” and an aide says Kerry would vote for Markey in a special election, the Boston Globe reports.

Kerry’s statement was immediately followed by an endorsement from Victoria Kennedy, widow of the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Jr.”

Mark Halperin notes Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee chair Michael Bennet also came out for Markey.

Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA), dean of the state’s Washington delegation, will run in 2013 for the U.S. Senate seat expected to open with the nomination of Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) to head the State Department, the Boston Globe reports.

Markey is the first prominent candidate to declare a run for Kerry’s seat, which will be filled through a special election early next summer, probably in June.

Actor Ben Affleck confirmed on Facebook that he is not running for Sen. John Kerry’s seat in Massachusetts.

Rep.-elect Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) “is looking to make the jump to the U.S. Senate before even taking a seat in the House,” the Honolulu Civil Beat reports.

Gabbard, who was just elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November, announced she wants to fill late Sen. Daniel Inouye’s (D-HI) seat.

After giving it serious consideration, Ted Kennedy Jr. has decided not to run for U.S. Senate in Massachusetts, the Boston Globe reports.

He gave three reasons: “He does not want to uproot his family; he doesn’t feel right about moving from Connecticut to Massachusetts to run; and officials in Connecticut have urged him to stay there and run there eventually.”

The day Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI) died, he sent a note to Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie (D) asking him to appoint Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (D-HI) to his seat, Honolulu Civil Beat reports.

Inouye wrote. “I hope you will grant me my last wish.”

“While this immediately shot Hanabusa to the top of the succession list, it also put Abercrombie in a tough spot. How could the governor not grant the dying wish of Hawaii’s most revered statesman? And if he doesn’t, what would be the political consequences?”

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has urged Abercrombie to decide quickly so Reid has all the votes he can get on any “fiscal cliff” legislation.

A new Emerson College poll in Massachusetts finds Gov. Deval Patrick (D) topping Sen. Scott Brown (R) in a possible U.S. Senate special election match up, 48% to 43%.

However, Brown leads Vicky Kennedy, the widow of former Sen. Ted Kennedy, 46% to 40%.

Former Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) confirmed to the AP that his brother, Ted Kennedy Jr., is considering running for U.S. Senate in Massachusetts if Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) is confirmed as the next secretary of state.

While Kennedy now lives in Connecticut, he’s felt obligated to contemplate running in
Massachusetts, where the Kennedy name is revered.

Nate Silver looks at new polling showing the recently-defeated Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) as the heavy favorite in a special election to replace Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) — who is likely to become Secretary of State — but notes “it is difficult to view Mr. Brown as much better than even money: he is a Republican in Massachusetts who lost an election by a reasonably clear margin just last month.”

“And if Mr. Brown wins, he could well face another competitive election in November 2014, when Democrats will have more chance to gear up from the race – and when Mr. Patrick will have finished his second term as governor and might be more likely to run for the Senate.

Harry Enten: “Even if Brown were to win in 2013, he’d face another election in
2014: the seat currently occupied by Kerry is due for its regular
election in 2014. A Republican winning a Senate seat in Massachusetts
three times in five years could be considered equivalent to Adam Sandler
winning an Oscar three times in five years.”

Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R) is launching a political comeback that may begin within days, CNN reports.

Sanford is planning to run for the Congressional seat he held almost a decade ago which is being vacated by Rep. Tim Scott (R-SC), who was just appointed to a U.S. Senate seat.

Newark Mayor Cory Booker (D) will not challenge New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (D) in next year’s gubernatorial race and will instead run for U.S. Senate in 2014, NBC 4 New York reports.

Two sources tell BuzzFeed the Obama administration “convinced him to run for Senate” instead of governor.