Kirk to Succeed Kennedy in U.S. Senate

by Seth Michaels, Sep 24, 2009

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick today named Paul Kirk to serve as interim U.S. senator, filling the open seat left by the passing of Sen. Edward Kennedy.

Republicans have gone to court to try and block the governor's emergency order to seat Kirk. The GOP believes Kirk must wait 90 days before he can be seated. These tactics are reminiscent of the unsuccessful attempts of the GOP to prevent Al Franken from being seated.

Kirk, who served as an adviser to Sen. Kennedy as well as a chairman of the Democratic National Committee, is expected to be sworn in tomorrow afternoon.

He will serve until a permanent replacement is elected in a special election, set for Jan. 19. The state legislature approved a bill allowing for the appointment of an interim senator this week, ensuring that Massachusetts will have its full congressional delegation during these critical months.


Thanks are due to Robert Haynes, president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, and union members across the state who have been actively advocating for their fair representation in the U.S. Senate. Kirk’s first public appearance after being named to fill the Senate seat was at today’s state AFL-CIO convention.

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka praised the “decisive action” of the state legislature and the working people across the state who mobilized to ensure that Kennedy’s wishes for a speedy replacement would be met:

Never before has it been more important for our elected representatives to be vocal warriors for working family issues and with Paul Kirk’s appointment, working people get another ardent supporter. Paul Kirk has enormous shoes to fill as the replacement to Sen. Kennedy but working people in Massachusetts and across the country are confident that he will live up to Sen. Kennedy’s legacy.

The appointment couldn’t come at a more critical time—as Washington soldiers on to create health care reform and fight against big business and the insurance industry who are so opposed to change.

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