Observers keeping watch on Kerry’s Senate seat

LYNN – Speculation among political junkies is swirling over what might become of the Senate seat held by U.S. Sen. John F. Kerry should President-elect Barack Obama appoint him to a Cabinet post or other high-ranking office.Kerry, 64, a Massachusetts Democrat and early supporter of Obama’s campaign, alluded in his post-election address about possible upcoming changes in his political career track.The senator’s name has been linked to rumors that would make him Secretary of State or a key member of Obama’s advisory team. In either case, such a change would vacate Kerry’s Senate seat, giving rise to musings about who might seek to fill it.U.S. Rep. John F. Tierney, a Salem Democrat, has been among those mentioned as a possible candidate for the Senate seat.”We never put our carts before our horses,” Tierney said Wednesday. “We think John Kerry has made a great senator and will continue to be one until he decides otherwise. If that side changes, I think you’ll see a number of people interested in his seat.”Tierney, currently serving his sixth term as congressman to the Massachusetts 6th District, explained that any decision to become a U.S. senator would be weighed carefully. “I have a good position in the House and enjoy doing that work, so I would have to weigh and balance any change against that, and take some things into consideration,” he said.Tierney said his subcommittee chairmanship allows him to actively pursue legislative initiatives he feels are important, particularly those related to education, job-training and workforce development.A Salem native and Salem State College graduate, Tierney earned his law degree from Suffolk University Law School. He practiced law until 1997 when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. The congressman is married and living in Salem with his wife, Patrice.Meanwhile, the direction of Kerry’s career path remains unclear, though his resume could afford some clues.Kerry’s father was a WWII test pilot and foreign service officer, his mother a social activist and environmentalist. Kerry served in the military during the Vietnam War, graduated from Boston College Law School in 1976, was elected Massachusetts lieutenant governor in 1982, and won his Senate seat in 1984. He has served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for 19 years. In 2003, he won the Democratic Presidential nomination.In a related twist Wednesday, Gov. Deval Patrick said he would consider changing state law so he could appoint someone to fill a vacant U.S. Senate seat rather than having a special election.Patrick’s remarks were made amid speculation that Kerry would take a job in the Obama administration, and discussion over the health of U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy, who is suffering from brain cancer.Kennedy’s wife, Vicki, and nephew Joseph P. Kennedy II, purportedly are among those interested in succeeding Kennedy if he were unable to complete his term.The state law related to how vacant seats get filled was changed in 2004 by Legislative Democrats concerned that then-Gov. Mitt Romney would appoint a fellow Republican if Kerry was elected president.Vacant House and Senate seats are now filled in a special election 145 to 160 days after an incumbent resigns. According to Patrick, most other states allow their governors fill them.