Here’s a news flash you don’t see often in this state: Republicans in the US Senate race outnumber Democrats, 2-1.
Granted, that ratio includes only candidates who have made formal announcements, not ones pulling nomination papers, or remaining silent amid speculation. But on the Democratic side, only Attorney General Martha Coakley is in. On the GOP side, state senator Scott Brown and Canton selectman Bob Burr have both joined the race.
It’s hard to be a Republican here. But the one advantage you have is also the party’s big disadvantage: compared to the other guys, you don’t have a vast party hierarchy. As I described in CommonWealth‘s Winter issue, Democrats often sort out amongst themselves who will and won’t run, and spend a lot of time waiting to see what this congressman or that Kennedy will do before they make an announcement. Republicans may defer to their elders to a certain degree — Scott Brown told the State House News Service he would not run if Andrew Card did — but there just aren’t as many elders requiring your fealty. You don’t have to worry about competing with Kennedys.
When your party is weak, it’s easier to be a gadfly, to take bigger risks. Whatever the chances of Brown or Burr in this race, their risk-taking is essential if we want to shake off our current status as the least competitive state in the nation.