Candidate Watch: Who's Running For Kennedy's Senate Seat?

The hottest political topic in Massachusetts has to be speculation as to who will fill Sen. Ted Kennedy’s vacant U.S. Senate seat. There was speculation that the late senator’s nephew, Joseph P. Kennedy II, would run, but his decision to remain at his nonprofit, Citizens Energy Corp., opened the floodgates for potential candidates to take up the cause.

Even so, some big names have publicly announced they will not run, including former Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey and current UMass-Lowell Chancellor, Martin Meehan. The candidate pool fluctuates daily, but below is a roundup of candidates whose names have been tossed around. In some cases, the individuals below have formally announced. In others, it’s speculation. We rated each candiate on a “Serious Meter” of 1 to 5, with 5 being the most serious.

Martha Coakley

Title: Massachusetts Attorney General

Political Affiliation: Democrat

Profile: The current Attorney General for Massachusetts, Coakley has held the position since 2006. She is the former District Attorney for Middlesex County, serving from 1999 to 2007. She has pursued a career in public service for the last two decades. She lives in Medford and received a bachelor’s degree from Williams College in 1975 and a law degree from the Boston University in 1979.

What’s the business angle? As the current Attorney General and former district attorney, Coakley has her hand in numerous business matters on a regular basis.

Rank on the Serious Meter: 5 – She is one of the few to officially announce her candidacy for the vacant Senate seat.

Michael Capuano

Title: U.S. Rep.

Political Affiliation: Democrat

Profile: Capuano currently is serving his sixth term as a representative in U.S. Congress for the Massachusetts 8th District. He’s served on the House democratic leadership team as a member of the Democratic steering and policy committee. Prior to his Congressional election, he served as the mayor of Somerville from 1990 to 1998. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College in 1973 and a law degree from Boston College Law School in 1977.

What’s the business angle? With eight years of mayor experience, Capuano knows how to interact with the business community. And as the only state member of the committee on transportation and infrastructure, Capuano helped to secure more than $5 billion in federal transportation dollars for Massachusetts over six years.

Rank on the Serious Meter: 4 – He has yet to formally announce his candidacy, but the Boston Herald recently reported that a spokeswoman said he is “seriously considering” it.

Scott P. Brown

Title: State Senator

Political Affiliation: Republican

Profile: Sen. Brown is currently serving his third full term representing the Norfolk, Bristol, and Middlesex District. He previously served three terms in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and earned degrees from Tufts University and Boston College Law School.

What’s the business angle? As a state senator, Brown interacts with local businesses on a daily basis. He also serves on the legislature’s consumer protection and professional licensure committee, among others.

Rank on the Serious Meter: 4 – At deadline for this publication, Brown was waiting “for one final piece to fall” before making his decision.

Stephen Lynch

Title: U.S. Rep.

Political Affiliation: Democrat

Profile: Currently serving the 9th district of Massachusetts in Congress, Lynch was first elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1994. A year later, he was elected to the Massachusetts State Senate in a special election.

What’s the business angle? Prior to his political career, Lynch worked as an ironworker at General Motors in Framingham, General Dynamics Shipyard in Quincy and the U.S. Steel Plant in Indiana. His first-hand experience seeing the effects of plant closings has led him to focus on efforts to improve U.S. trade policy and protect American jobs. He also currently serves as a member of the financial services committee and the committee on oversight and government reform, for which he is the chairman on the subcommittee on federal workforce.

Rank on the Serious Meter: 4 – Reports show that he is seriously considering his candidacy, but a formal announcement has yet to be made.

Alan Khazei

Title: Founder and CEO of Be The Change Inc.

Political Affiliation: Democrat

Profile: As the former co-founder and CEO of City Year, a youth service corps that helped to inspire the development of AmeriCorps, Khazei has established a career in public service. He is now the founder and CEO of Be The Change Inc., an organization that urges all Americans to get involved in “taking the responsibility for the democracy we all share” by participating in the conversations, debates and elections that create public policy. In 2006, US News and World Report selected Khazei as one of America’s 25 Best Leaders

What’s the business angle? His expertise rests in the public service sector.

Rank on the Serious Meter: 3 – No prior political experience may hurt him, but he shares the same commitment to public service as the late Ted Kennedy. As of this publication, no formal announcement had been made.

Edward Markey

Title: U.S. Rep.

Political Affiliation: Democrat

Profile: Markey has served as a representative of Massachusetts’ seventh congressional district for 33 years. He currently chairs the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and the Energy and Environment Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Boston College in 1968 and a juris doctor’s degree from Boston College Law School in 1972.

What’s the business angle? In 2008, Rep. Markey introduced the Investing in Climate Action and Protection Act (iCAP)—legislation that would slash global warming emissions and make America the leader in clean technology solutions.

Rank on the Serious Meter: 3 – A potential contender, yes, but reports also suggest his final decision will be swayed by those of his projected democratic competitors.

Robert Burr

Title: Selectman

Political Affiliation: Republican

Profile: A Canton selectman since 2005, Burr is a lifelong resident of the town and is a former president of the Canton Little League and a former member of the conservation commission. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Boston College in 1989.

What’s the business angle? Aside from his bachelor’s degree in business management, a clear business impact is hard to find.

Rank on the Serious Meter: 3 – While he has officially announced his candidacy, it seems the chips likely are stacked against him.

John F. Tierney

Title: U.S. Rep.

Political Affiliation: Democrat

Profile: Tierney currently is serving his seventh term in the House of Representatives. He currently serves as chairman of the National Security and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. He also holds a Speaker-appointed seat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Salem State College and a law degree from Suffolk University.

What’s the business angle? He is the only representative from Massachusetts serving on the Education and Labor Committee and serves on the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning and Competitiveness and the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions.

Rank on the Serious Meter: 3 – A spokesperson for the congressman confirms that he is a potential candidate, but no formal declaration has been made.

Michael Sullivan

Title: Former U.S. Attorney

Political Affiliation: Republican

Profile: Sullivan served as U.S. Attorney from 2001 to 2009 and directed offices in Boston, Worcester and Springfield. He was responsible for overseeing approximately 200 attorneys and support staff.

What’s the business angle? According to the Boston Globe, during his term as U.S. Attorney, Sullivan was “credited with building a nationally renowned healthcare fraud unit that recovered more than $4 billion in Medicare and Medicaid money.”

Rank on the Serious Meter: 3 – With his past experiences a non-issue, Sullivan certainly is a potential candidate. At this point, however, no clear announcement has been made.

Andrew Card Jr.

Title: Former White House Chief of Staff for George W. Bush

Political Affiliation: Republican

Profile: Card began his political career in the White House under President Ronald Reagan as Special Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and later served as President George W. Bush’s Chief Of Staff.

What’s the business angle? For five years (from 1993 to 1998) Card served as president and CEO of the American Automobile Manufacturers Association and also served as General Motors’ vice president of government relations from 1999 until his appointment as President Bush’s chief of staff. Card currently serves on the board of directors of Union Pacific Railroad and is also a senior counselor at public relations firm Fleishman-Hillard.

Rank on the Serious Meter: 2 – While he has the previous political experience necessary, no serious reports of his candidacy have surfaced.

Curt Schilling

Title: Former Major League Baseball pitcher

Political Affiliation: Independent

Profile: Schilling is best known for his 20-year Major League Baseball career, during which he won three World Series Championships, two with the Boston Red Sox. In 2008 he devoted a significant portion of his time campaigning for Senator John McCain during the presidential elections.

What’s the business angle? After leaving the Red Sox, Schilling moved his focus to the private sector. He is the founder and chairman of 38 Studios, a video game company based in Maynard.

Rank on the Serious Meter: 1 – Aside from his campaign work for U.S. Sen. John McCain in 2008, Schilling’s lack of political experience makes him a long shot at best.