Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick says he has spoken with former Congressman Barney Frank about an interim appointment to the U.S. Senate. WAMC’s Paul Tuthill reports.
Governor Patrick said Frank would be a great interim Senator, and acknowledged that appointing him would make sense because the recently retired Congressman knows his way around Washington. Patrick would not say who else he has spoken with about filling the expected vacancy resulting from Senator John Kerry’s nomination to be Secretary of State. Frank told MSNBC Friday that he told Patrick he wants the temporary appointment. Governor Patrick said he expects the interim appointee will not run in the special election. Congressman Ed Markey has announced his candidacy and the Democratic establishment appears to be backing him to avoid a divisive primary that could give a boost to the likely Republican candidate, former senator Scott Brown.
