Bill to name Kennedy replacement advances

BOSTON, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- The Massachusetts state Senate approved a bill allowing Gov. Deval Patrick to name a short-term replacement for the late U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy.

The appointee would serve until a special election in January. Patrick could sign the bill as early as Wednesday, after it receives formal enactment by both houses, the Boston Globe reported.

The Senate approved the bill, 24-16. The measure passed the House last week.

Patrick has given no hints on his choice. Names that have been floated include former Gov. Michael Dukakis, the Democratic nominee for president in 1988; Paul Kirk Jr., a former Kennedy aide who served as head of the Democratic National Committee; Charles Oglethorpe, a professor a Harvard Law School; and former Lt. Gov. Evelyn Murphy.

Kennedy himself pushed for the bill in a letter to the governor shortly before his death last month of brain cancer. His death leaves the Democrats one short of the 60 votes needed to end filibusters.

Republicans accused the Democrats of playing politics. In 2004, the Democratic-controlled state legislature adopted special elections to fill senatorial vacancies so the Republican governor, Mitt Romney, would be unable to appoint a successor if Sen. John Kerry were elected president.