One Republican is still a player in Massachusetts. A big player. Lame-duck GOP Sen. Scott P. Brown is in a “strong position” should there be a special election to replace Democratic Sen. John F. Kerry, who is widely considered President Obama’s top choice for secretary of state.
A new poll of 500 registered Massachusetts voters conducted Monday and Tuesday by public radio station WBUR finds that 58 percent of the voters view Mr. Brown favorably, though they elected Harvard law professor Elizabeth Warren in his stead in November. Another 28 percent of voters overall view him unfavorably, and 12 percent are undecided.
Among Republicans, he enjoys a 94 percent favorability rating.
Pollster Steve Koczela gauged how well Mr. Brown would fare against four current or former Democratic lawmakers also mentioned as potential candidates for the seat.
“We matched him up theoretically against U.S. Reps. Ed Markey, Mike Capuano, Steve Lynch and former Rep. Marty Meehan, and in each one of those cases, he led by between 17 and 19 points,” Mr. Koczela said.
