John Kerry Confirmed as Secretary of State

John Kerry was confirmed by the Senate today as Secretary of State to replace the outgoing Hillary Clinton.

From Talking Points Memo

The Senate voted overwhelmingly to confirm Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) as the nation's next secretary of state on Tuesday.
The vote was 94 to 3. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX), John Cornyn (R-TX) and Jim Inhofe (R-OH) voted against confirmation. Kerry himself voted present.

From the Boston Globe

Kerry’s departure to become secretary of state, after a quarter-­century in office, paves the way for Governor Deval ­Patrick to announce an interim senator Wednesday. Patrick has suggested he will choose a woman or a person of color to reflect the changing face of politics in Massachusetts.

Top contenders are said by political insiders to include his former chief of staff, William “Mo” Cowan, and Victoria ­Kennedy, Edward M. Kennedy’s widow.

Politically connected Democrats do not believe that Barney Frank, former US representative, who has openly urged Patrick to appoint him, will get the interim Senate job. Patrick and his political advisers have bristled at Frank’s public pursuit of the job.

. . . The governor said he plans to schedule the special election to fill Kerry’s Senate seat on June 25, with a primary on April 30. Secretary of State ­William F. Galvin said he will make nomination papers available as quickly as possible this week. Candidates have four weeks to gather 10,000 certified voter signatures for their names to appear on their party’s primary ballot.