Elizabeth Warren could face hurdles to a potential Biden Cabinet position
Elizabeth Warren reportedly intends to make her pitch as treasury secretary in a Biden administration — but the Massachusetts senator’s dreams may be dashed if Republicans retain control of the U.S. Senate, or if Democrats need her to maintain a slim majority.
“Elizabeth Warren is unconfirmable in any Cabinet position that has any meaningful regulatory power by a Republican-led Senate,” UMass Lowell political science professor John Cluverius said after Politico reported that Warren wants the job if Joe Biden wins.
“She’s probably the most experienced U.S. senator in managing the bureaucracy,” Cluverius added. “But Elizabeth Warren is a nightmare nomination for core Republicans who see government regulation as a problem and for their donor base, which is worried about overreach in a Biden administration.”
Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate that could shift after Election Day. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to take control of the chamber — achievable by outright winning four seats, or by taking three seats and the White House.
But even if Democrats flip the Senate blue, Warren faces a different hurdle: If she’s tapped for a Cabinet post, the fate of her Senate seat winds up in Republican Gov. Charlie Baker’s hands, at least temporarily. The governor currently has the power to appoint an interim senator until a special election is called in 145 to 160 days, according to state law.
“It could put a GOP (candidate) in the Senate from Massachusetts,” Democratic strategist Dan Payne said.
It’s a worrisome prospect to some, but “Baker is a moderate and loved by Democrats in Massachusetts, so he won’t pick a Neanderthal to fill Warren’s seat,” Payne said.
Plus, the Legislature has changed the law several times in recent years to help or hinder certain governors in choosing replacements.
If and when it comes to it, a special election is likely to bring a host of Democratic contenders, with U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley leading the pack of prospects in a UMass Amherst/WCVB poll just this week. Pressley told the Herald Thursday, “All I’ve ever done is follow the work and that’s what I’m going to continue to do.”
Speculation is also swirling over whether U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy III, who finished second in the survey, would mount a second run for the Senate after his bitter primary loss to U.S. Sen. Edward Markey in September.
from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3mGCDtU
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