Healthcare Reform in Jeopardy as Massachusetts Goes to the Polls
BY LAUREN UZDIENSKI, JANUARY 19, 2010
National news today is focused on the Massachusetts election for Ted Kennedy's former Senate seat. The vote pits Republican Scott Brown against state Attorney General Martha Coakley, a Democrat. The New York Times recounts how Brown, a state senator, has gathered momentum from independent voters over concerns like the economy, taxes and government spending, transforming Coakley's "virtual lock" on the seat into a tight race.
If Brown wins, the victory could cost Democrats their tenuous balance of votes for the reform package. Republicans would have enough seats to filibuster the legislation, with New York Representative Anthony Weiner (D) adding, "I think you can make a pretty good argument that healthcare might be dead."
While Brown may throw a wrench into the Democrats' plans, there are ways around counting a new Republican seat. As the New York Times reports, House Democrats have the option of signing off on the Senate's version of the bill and sending it directly to President Obama.
Polls close at 8 p.m
