The Democratic Party lost its 60th vote in the United States Senate yesterday when Republican Scott Brown defeated Democrat Martha Coakley in a Massachusetts special election for the Senate seat of the late Edward Kennedy.
The polls closed at 5 p.m. Tuesday, and for a while, the race was too close to call — but then Brown pulled ahead and Coakley conceded.
As of 7 p.m. Tuesday, The Boston Globe showed Brown ahead with 52 percent of the vote and Coakley trailing behind with 47 percent. A few short months ago, Coakley appeared to be a shoo-in as the traditionally blue state’s Senate pick, but a quickly organized and forceful campaign orchestrated by Brown suddenly gave him an edge.
Brown’s win will likely give Democrats 10 days to pass a health care bill in Congress, because Brown must wait until Jan. 29 to be seated. The seat is temporarily held by Democrat Paul Kirk, who was appointed following Kennedy’s Aug. 25 death.
Brown made his opposition to the health care bill the central issue in his campaign, and his win might determine the fate of the legislation, as Brown promised to be the 41st vote against it. That would buy the opposition just enough “no” votes to block the legislation’s passing with a filibuster.
Democrats lose U.S. Senate seat
Daily Emerald
January 19, 2010
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