A rapidly approaching storm expected to pile on as much as 3 feet of snow in parts of New England is worrying prospective GOP candidates in Massachusetts who are hoping to collect a required 10,000 signatures for a special election to replace Secretary of State John Kerry. Per the National Journal:
“I think any day lost is obviously going to be a huge impediment,” Massachusetts GOP strategistMeredith Warren said. “I would assume that this would’ve been a huge weekend for someone like Dan Winslow to be out getting signatures but…everyone’s hunkered down.”
Democrats will have to deal with the blizzard’s effects as well, but the issue is particularly problematic for Winslow and the GOP. There is a much deeper pool of registered Democrats in deep-blue Massachusetts than registered Republicans. The state GOP also lacks the legions of party activists and union members willing to scour the state on behalf of Democratic Reps. Edward Markey andStephen Lynch. Winslow didn’t officially enter the race until Thursday, and he lacks the built-in campaign apparatus that former Sen. Scott Brown would have brought to the race.
