Senate Campaign in Massachusetts: Harvard Professor Elizabeth Warren is In

If the Purpose of Politics is to Entertain, This Could be the Main Attraction



A Sign the Democrats Missed in 2009
Telling them to watch out in 2010



The strongest signal that something was wrong in Democratic politics occurred when Massachusetts elected little known Republican Scott Brown to the Senate, succeeding Edward Kennedy who had died.  Mr. Brown won the seat in part because he ran a strong campaign, in part because of luck when a debate moderator referred to the seat as the “Kennedy seat” and in part because of a lackluster campaign and candidate fielded by the Democrats.

Sen. Brown has since developed a strong following in Massachusetts.  He has been moderate enough to keep the citizens of that state happy, yet not so moderate as to stir up a primary challenge from the Tea Party activists.  He has raised a ton of money.  He seems poised to have an easy re-election.



Katherine Taylor for The New York Times

Elizabeth Warren greeted potential voters

 in Boston on Wednesday after announcing her candidacy

 for the United States Senate.



Running in the Democratic primary to oppose Mr. Brown will be Harvard Professor Elizabeth Warren.  Ms. Warren is a consumer rights advocate and gained fame as the author of a consumer protection agency proposal that was ultimately enacted into law.  She also gained fame by being on the receiving end of supreme hatred by Republicans.  She is not, however a politician.  This will be her first run for office.

Her strategy will be to run against Washington, and to portray herself as the champion of the middle class.

In an announcement video released early Wednesday, Ms. Warren, 62, painted herself as an unyielding defender of the middle class, an image she has been honing for years and which will be central to her campaign.

“The middle class has been chipped at, hacked at, squeezed and hammered for a generation now, and I don’t think Washington gets it,” she said in the video. “Washington is rigged for big corporations that hire armies of lobbyists.”

Polling results will be meaningless until at least a year from now.  Ms. Warren must first win the Democratic primary.  This could be beneficial for her if she showcases her positions effectively and decisively.  For now the big question will be money.  Can she raise enough of it to compete effectively in both a primary and general election?

For Republicans the race is relatively meaningless.  They should easily have enough victories in 2012 Senate races to take control of the Senate, and the loss of a Senate seat in Democratic Massachusetts is no big deal.  It is a big deal for Democrats.  If they are unable to capture this seat the evidence that they are on their to becoming a permanent minority party, competitive only in a some regions will be much stronger.  Lose again in Massachusetts and where are you safe Democrats?