Markey or Lynch: Who Would You Vote for Today?
Democratic congressmen Ed Markey and Stephen Lynch will face off in a primary on April 30 in the race to fill the Massachusetts Senate seat vacated by new Secretary of State John Kerry.
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We have a race.
On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch became the second candidate to officially enter the race to fill the Senate seat vacated by new Secretary of State John Kerry, following his fellow Democratic Congressman Ed Markey.
Lynch and Markey will now face off in a primary set for April 30 for the right to represent the Democratic Party in the special election on June 25 against a still unknown Republican opponent, as no GOP candidate has officially entered the race yet. Former U.S. Senator Scott Brown fired an early salvo against Markey, but told the Boston Herald on Friday that he would not run for Senate.
There are differences between Lynch and Markey, despite being members of the same party. Lynch voted against Obamacare, officially called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, while Markey voted for the bill.
Lynch also has an anti-abortion stance, although it's not absolute—Planned Parenthood currently gives him a score of 83 percent to Markey's 100 percent. The National Right to Life Committee, meanwhile, gave Lynch a score of 10 percent during the last Congressional session, while Markey received a zero.
The most recent National Journal rankings from 2011 give Markey a liberal score of 89.2, making him the 41st most liberal member of the House, while Lynch received a liberal score of 72.8, ranking him the 123rd most liberal member of the House.
Lynch also touts his union support as a former ironworker who then graduated from law school and later won his current congressional seat in 2001, while Markey, also a lawyer by trade, was first elected to Congress in 1976.
Another potential factor is the state's unenrolled voters, who can choose to cast a ballot in one party's primary. Over half of Bay State voters are registered as unenrolled, which would allow unenrolled voters who lean right to vote in the Democratic primary for Lynch—or against Markey—if they decide to show up at the polls. During the special Senate election in 2010 between Brown and state Attorney General Martha Coakley, during the height of the Obamacare debate, 54 percent of registered Massachusetts voters turned out.
Who would you vote for if the primary were held today: Lynch or Markey? Are you an unenrolled voter and, if so, do you plan to vote in the Democratic primary on April 30? Tell us your plans to vote in the comments below.
Bill
7:32 am on Saturday, February 2, 2013
I will be supporting Lynch, man of the people. Markey is owned by lobbyists
john
7:59 am on Saturday, February 2, 2013
Don't fool yourself. They all are. I will be staying home watching the grass grow or the paint dry.
Bill
2:21 pm on Sunday, February 3, 2013
I was being sarcastic. I really want Lynch to win the primary so good Dem liberals have to vote for a white man who is pro life...The Horror..
Saber Walsh
8:17 am on Monday, February 4, 2013
Lynch isn't really all that pro-life when compared with Markey. Unfortunately, even Scott Brown wasn't, either.
If you want to get the uber-lib vote, God forbid that you stand up for the unborn.
Sydney
8:58 am on Saturday, February 2, 2013
At least Lynch actually live in Massachusetts unlike Markey who simply owns a home here so that he can claim he's a resident. Although I'm not keen on either, Lynch will indeed be a representative of the people of Massachusetts whereas Markey will be a mouthpiece for the Democatic National Party ... At the end of the day, who speaks for me??
Ray Stanford.
9:11 am on Saturday, February 2, 2013
I wonder if Bill Weld will run? I hope so.
gene
10:10 am on Saturday, February 2, 2013
Talk about someone who really doesn't live in Massachusetts
Maria Rigazio-Rea
9:11 am on Saturday, February 2, 2013
If I only had those two to chose from, it would be Lynch. I think Markey has been in office way too long. I am a term limits kind of gal and hate to see these guys making a huge income from their jobs and the huge pensions and appointments. Time for him to find another job...not as my senator please.
Barry Weener
9:40 am on Saturday, February 2, 2013
Markey is like cyanide, Lynch is like arsenic. Arsenic takes longer to work. (Not to mention that Lynch has actually held a real job at one time). I'll be voting for Lynch. I'll be holding my nose when I do it, but I'll do almost anything (legal) to get Markey out of office.
Michael Quinlan
9:23 am on Monday, February 4, 2013
Neither Markey nor Lynch will not be out of office if they lose. Both are currently serving in the House of Representatives. This special election is a 'free-pass' for a current office holder. More's the pity.
chip randall
1:36 pm on Saturday, February 2, 2013
Lynch is the lesser of two evils.
Temperance Ropple
5:12 pm on Saturday, February 2, 2013
I'M UNENROLLED AND WILL BE VOTING FOR MARKEY..HE'S MORE ALIGNED WITH THE PRESIDENT'S AGENDA...
Kathleen
2:00 pm on Monday, February 25, 2013
And what 'agenda' might that be Temperance? I have yet to actually see any 'agenda' by this President, other than the healthcare bill that he forced through. If this agenda includes more debt, more taxes, more entitlements, more unemployment, more welfare recipients, more illegal aliens, higher gas prices, unsecured borders, etc. etc...than I'll vote for anyone without a D next to their name. If I absolutely had to chose between Markey and Lynch, I would chose Lynch by far. Markey is a professional politician with little substance, much like our President who is a professional campaigner not a leader. His idea of leading is to blame everyone else for our country's issues and create fear and hysteria. It's time for him to stop campaigning and start leading!
bobpadgett
8:51 am on Monday, April 8, 2013
I just neutralized your vote. I'm unnrolled and will be voting for Lynch..because he is NOT aligned with the President's agenda. Markey = Malarkey!
scott englin
10:26 am on Sunday, February 3, 2013
NO ONE THEY ARE ALL BUMS
Anne Sweeney
12:58 am on Monday, February 4, 2013
I'll waste my vote and vote for any third party candidate, they can't do any worse.
Kerri
6:29 am on Monday, February 4, 2013
If you recognize that we just lost a senior senator in Massachusetts and admit to yourself that Washington is all about connections, Markey would be the best candidate for Massachusetts. Markey has been a leader on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a number of years. Remember how close we live to Seabrook. It is important to vote with the facts.
Michael Quinlan
9:27 am on Monday, February 4, 2013
If seniority is a valid criteria then leaving Markey in the House where he has 37 years makes more sense. He'll be dead before he gets the chance to develop any meaningful seniority in the US Senate.
Mickey Long
9:36 am on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Good point, Michael Quinlan!
ann
9:19 am on Monday, February 4, 2013
Can we keep the pro-life crap out of this race. It is the law it will not change! Not because they value the women's vote but because DR will never put themselves and their license in that position again.How liberal the abortions rights are is a completely different thing. As for the Senior senior, Kerry barely fit that role. He let Ted do most things & he's been gone a while. We will do fine with whoever we get as long as voters keep watch. 6 year terms is a long time.