Burnt Orange Report

Barney Frank Gears Up for Senate Run

By Byron LaMasters

When John Kerry is elected President this November, it'll create a senate vacancy in Massachusetts. And Congressional Quarterly indicates that U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) is gearing up to run for the U.S. Senate in what would be a 2005 special election after Kerry resigns his seat:

Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Barney Frank in 1987 became the first member of Congress to make a personal acknowledgment of homosexuality, and he has been an outspoken advocate of gay rights.

But he had never sought the endorsement of the Victory Fund, a leading national organization that supports openly gay candidates and officials -- until this year.

Frank, who is seeking a 12th term in Massachusetts' 4th District, said he'd never asked for the group's backing before because "the only tough races I had were in [19]80 and '82, and the Victory Fund did not exist back then."

Yet Frank says it is not this year's House race that spurred him to contact the fundraising organization -- even though he has drawn a challenge from Chuck Morse, a former radio talk show host and staunch conservative who is running as an independent.

Rather, the congressman said he is trying to build up his campaign treasury, in advance of a possible bid for the seat Massachusetts Democratic Sen. John Kerry would vacate were he to win the White House this year.

Not only would Frank become the first openly gay U.S. Senator if elected, he is perhaps the best debater in the U.S. House, and would bring his extraordinary legislative talent to the U.S. Senate.

Interestingly, Frank's conservative challenger this year, Chuck Morse is an admitted right-wing extremist. CQ continues:

Morse has, however, been embroiled in past controversies that have led Frank and the Victory Fund to label him as "anti-gay."

In his 2002 book "Why I am a Right-Wing Extremist," Morse wrote: "Frank, a self-described homosexual, exhibits the type of aggressive male behavior that is perhaps enhanced by a life without the civilizing influence of a woman."

I don't think that Barney Frank has too much to worry about this year, but I'm sure a special election in 2005 would be a barnburner, especially if Frank were the Democratic nominee.