Polls have officially closed in Massachusetts in the high-stakes race for a new senator to take the late Ted Kennedy's seat. This election is pivotal because this senator's vote may make or break passage of the Democrats' health care bill. (Health care votes in the Senate so far have been strictly along party lines, with 60 votes needed to prevent a filibuster that could block the vote.) Thousands of voters came to the polls to cast their votes despite harsh weather.
Although Massachusetts is strongly Democrat, with about a one to three ratio of Republicans to Democrats among registered voters, Democrat Martha Coakley is fighting hard to win the battle against Republican candidate Scott Philip Brown. If Coakley wins, health care has a chance of passing, but if Brown wins, the bill could be crushed. This is ironic because the new senator will be replacing Ted Kennedy, a fierce proponent of health care.
Some are saying that if health care does not pass, Obama will not be elected for a second term, and that his agenda could be ruined and mocked. If the State of the Union Address rolls around next week, and health care has failed, Obama may have nothing big to show for his year in office. Political prospects for Democrats may also look more dim across the country if a revised health care system, one of the most key portions of Obama agenda, does not see the light of day.
Right now, Brown is trumping Coakley, 54.6% to 44.5%, according to NBC news. However, this is only counting about 1% of votes. Different precincts are reporting results at different rates.
You could say the Democrats' health care bill does not look so healthy ... both candidates (with help from their respective parties) are already mobilizing their legal teams in case results are very close.
Previously:
- Ten Health Care Terms You Need to Know
- Can't Spare a Dime for Health Care
- Nursing a Career in the Midst of Healthcare Reform
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