Somehow I just knew it. (Sigh)

[merrily]

17. She also beat out three or four males in the Dem primary for Kennedy's seat.

That was, IMO, because she was a woman. All three of them were stronger than she was in debates. However, Bubba campaigned for her--and against a great incumbent US House member, among other others, reportedly because she had done so much for Hillary in 2008. Then, EMILY's List, which works closely with the Democratic Party, threw money at her. Then, everyone outside the state left and Koch money and a remarkably bad campaign caused her loss to Brown. Not, in my opinion, her gender.

In fairness, electing a woman to the US Senate would have been a shocker when Kennedy and Kerry got those seats and then they held them for a very long time. A woman got nominated over several men to fill Kennedy's seat, but lost. However, a woman, probably not known to low info voters, then beat an incumbent male. A relative unknown of any gender beating an incumbent Senator of any gender so soon after he was elected for the first time is nothing to sneeze at.

The Massachusetts Senate has had a female majority leader for some time. And Martha herself has been AG, for a while, an important position in which she served the state very well, IMO.


Massachusetts Governors, however, are another story. Based on history, WASP Republican males definitely have an edge. Few exceptions, in a few hundred years.

Could Massachusetts use more women? Sure.