Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
BY NICHOLE CARTMELL
ANCHOR LAUREN ZIMA
The GOP
has yet to find a candidate to run in a special election to fill Democrat John Kerry’s Senate
shoes in Massachusetts.
Former Gov. William Weld has said no. Former Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey
turned down the opportunity. And late Monday despite speculation — Mitt Romney’s son,
Tagg Romney said he’ll pass too.
This makes five Republicans who have said no in
the past few days, including former state Senate Minority Leader Richard Tisei, and
former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown. Some of whom, by the way, had a pretty good
shot at least at securing the party’s nomination.
"... they seem to be having a hard time finding
a u.s. senate candidate in Massachusetts."
"Republicans in Massachusetts in something of a quandary
and with only a few months to decide on a suitable candidate."
Republicans only
need six seats to win the Senate majority — so what looks like a lack of eagerness
to get a conservative in the recently-vacated Massachusetts seat is surprising to some.
Then
again, U.S. News and World Report’s Susan Milligan thinks the candidates that pass were
probably weighing sanity over political risk. She points out not only would running mean
-
a financially, emotionally and physically draining campaign process,
- but these
candidates would also be the minority, where their power would be determined largely by
their party's ability to thwart the majority's agenda
But then who’s left for state
Republicans?
The Boston Globe suggests it could be former Navy SEAL and fighter pilot,
Gabriel E. Gomez, described as “a venture capitalist who has been quietly moving around
party leadership circles in recent weeks telling GOP movers and shakers he is seriously thinking
of running.” State Representative Daniel B. Winslow is also said to release a statement
on Tuesday announcing whether he will run.
Whomever the candidate turns out to be — he or she
will need to gather 10,000 signatures in the next three and a half weeks to qualify for
the ballot. The GOP primary is set for April 30.