Who’s the Frontrunner in GOP Senate Primary?

One candidate has name recognition, but experts say no one has separated themselves from the field yet.

The window for the three combatants for the Republican nomination in the U.S. Senate special election to make a name for themselves is a small one, with the April 30 primary just seven weeks away. Observers don’t believe there is a clear frontrunner at this point among the field of State Rep. Dan Winslow (R-Norfolk), former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan and former Navy SEAL Gabriel Gomez. But strong fundraising, advertising and ground operations could change that quickly. Frank Talty, co-director of the UMass-Lowell Center For Public Opinion, believes Sullivan has a “slight advantage” at the moment because of his previous job, but not enough to pull away from Winslow and Gomez at the moment. “He had received some media attention in that …

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Barrett Outlines Budget Priorities

“I’m focusing on areas that have been walloped,” State Sen. Mike Barrett, D-Lexington, said in a statement. “The increases I’m proposing would not restore funding to old levels, but they would strike a better balance.”

More Republicans Enter Race for U.S. Senate

Bielat and Gomez say they’re in; Sullivan may also join the field.

It’s starting to shape up into quite a race, as the field of potential Republican candidates for U.S. Senate continues to grow. This week, two more Republicans threw their hats in the proverbial ring in the race for the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the appointment of John Kerry to Secretary of State - Norfolk’s Sean Bielat and Cohasset’s Gabriel Gomez. Candidates have just under two weeks to meet the Feb. 27 deadline to gather the 10,000 certified signatures needed to appear on the April 30 primary ballot. The special election is June 25. After losing two races for Congress, Bielat has opened up a federal campaign office to raise money for a Senate run, according to a report in the Boston Globe. Bielat lost to Barney Frank in 2010 and …

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John Kerry Confirmed As Secretary of State

Kerry will replace Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State.

With only three dissenting votes, the U.S. Senate has confirmed John Kerry as the new Secretary of State. Kerry will take over for Hillary Clinton, who's leaving her post after four years. The move means Kerry will have to resign as a senator soon, paving the way for a special senate election. The primary election is scheduled for April 30 and the general election will be held on June 25.  U.S. Congressman Ed Markey, D-MA, has announced he is running for the seat. U.S. Congressman Stephen Lynch, D-MA has hinted that he may run.  As for an interim senator for Kerry's seat, Gov. Deval Patrick plans to announce his pick on Wednesday, Jan. 30, according to the Boston Herald.

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Fiscal Cliff Looms as Congress Gets Back to Work

President, Congress have just a few days to avert automatic tax increases and spending cuts. A number of Massachusetts Congressman suggest cutting nuclear programs instead.

Starbucks baristas are writing "come together" on all cups in the Washington, DC, area to encourage Congress and the President to come together to fix the fiscal cliff issue. For more information about this initiative, go to www.patch.com/fixthedebt. Congress and President Obama are racing against the clock this week as they make one last attempt to hammer out a deal to avoid the so-called “fiscal cliff” the US government is set to go over on New Year’s Day. Without a compromise deal to lower the deficit, the government will face a self-imposed deadline that triggers both spending cuts and higher taxes. Congress itself set the Jan. 1 deadline after failing to come to a budget compromise earlier this year. On Jan. 1, the George W. Bush-era …

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State Sen-Elect Mike Barrett Talks Legislative Priorities

Appearing before Bedford's Board of Selectmen recently, Mike Barrett, state Senator-elect in the Third Middlsex District, discussed his legislative priorities.

  During a recent meeting of the Bedford Board of Selecmten, incoming state Sen. Mike Barrett, D-Lexington, was one of two incoming lawmakers to present his legislative priorities to the local officials. During the Dec. 4 meeting in Bedford, that town's newest advocates on Beacon Hill -- Barrett and state Representative-elect Ken Gordon -- spoke with the Bedford Selectmen during their Dec. 4 meeting about Bedford's legislative priorities. Barrett, representing the 3rd Middlesex District, said one of his first priorities after being sworn into office would be securing state funding for the costs Bedford incurs in educating students from Hanscom Air Force Base at Bedford High School. The base, which is situated in the middle of Bedford, …

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Question of the Day

POLL: Would You Back a Presidential Candidate with Lexington Ties?

Take our poll or let us know in the comments section below.

Election 2012 could have serious Lexington linkage. Two politicians with ties to the town took key steps in their campaign for the United States presidency on Monday as Jill Stein officially announced her candidacy for the Green Party’s bid and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney filed for the New Hampshire Primary. Stein, as most people know, is a Lexington resident and former Town Meeting member, along with being doctor and environmental-health advocate and past Green Party candidate for governor. What some people might not know is that Romney has ties to the town that go beyond his residence in nearby Belmont. According to the interwebs, Romney for President, Inc. lists its address on Hayden Avenue. In fact, the man himself shared …

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