Candidates for Kennedy's Senate seat try to carry his mantle
| Boston
To run a campaign based on Kennedy鈥檚 legacy or not?
That鈥檚 the question that the Democratic candidates vying to fill the late Sen. Edward Kennedy鈥檚 Senate seat have faced over the course of the three-month special election.
For three of the four candidates in Tuesday鈥檚 Democratic primary, the temptation to try to position themselves as heir to the Kennedy legacy proved too sweet to resist. They鈥檝e evoked the 鈥渓iberal lion鈥� in debates, television ads, and campaign rhetoric.
But that strategy may be flawed.
鈥淰oters are not terribly sentimental about who came before,鈥� says Dan Payne, a Massachusetts-based Democratic media consultant. 鈥淭hey want to start the political season fresh.鈥�
Moreover, Senator Kennedy鈥檚 wife and sons have refused to endorse any candidate, complicating efforts to appear as his chosen replacement.
The fresh-start strategy may have benefited state Attorney General Martha Coakley, the front-runner heading into Tuesday鈥檚 primary.
鈥淐oakley has her own identity,鈥� says Mr. Payne, noting that Ms. Coakley is the only Democratic candidate to previously conduct a statewide campaign. 鈥淪he doesn鈥檛 really need to borrow from Ted Kennedy.鈥�
But Coakley鈥檚 competitors 鈥� Rep. Michael Capuano, Alan Khazei, and Stephen Pagliuca 鈥� have all sought to convince voters that they had a relationship with Kennedy before his death 鈥� a relationship that would benefit them in the Senate.
鈥淭ed Kennedy taught me that Washington鈥檚 a tough town where you have to stand and fight for what really matters,鈥� Representative Capuano said in a recent television ad, a photo of him with Kennedy on the screen. 鈥淚 have stood with him, voting against the Iraq war and against President Bush鈥檚 attacks on Social Security, our values, and civil liberties.鈥�
Mr. Khazei has talked about his work with Kennedy on City Year, a nationwide community-service program that Khazei co-founded, and he pushed for passage of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act.
鈥淚 loved Ted Kennedy,鈥� Khazei said on WGBH, a Boston public-television station. 鈥淗e was amazing. I wouldn鈥檛 be sitting here today, having done what I鈥檝e been able to do, without Ted Kennedy. He discovered me and City Year.鈥�
Mr. Pagliuca, a self-financed candidate and co-owner of the Boston Celtics, has promised to vote for healthcare reform and 鈥渇ight for Senator Kennedy鈥檚 dream.鈥�
He was the first candidate to advertise on television and began evoking Kennedy early: 鈥淧eople are hurting in Massachusetts, and we鈥檝e lost a great friend 鈥� perhaps the greatest senator in the history of our state and nation. No one could fill his shoes, but the work goes on.鈥�
The size and impact of Kennedy鈥檚 legacy are exactly why it鈥檚 difficult for any candidates to measure up. 鈥淭ed Kennedy was such a giant in Massachusetts politics that it鈥檚 a little like asking who鈥檚 going to be the next Larry Bird,鈥� says Payne. 鈥淰oters realize there isn鈥檛 a natural heir here.鈥�
See also:
Massachusetts鈥� would-be senators roil healthcare abortion debate
-----
Follow us on .
