Jockeying Begins to Fill Massachusetts' Open Senate Seat

See details on possible contenders.

Under Massachusetts law, a special election to fill Mr. Kennedy's seat must take place between Jan. 18 and Feb. 2. Days before his death, Mr. Kennedy, who had served in the Senate since 1962, requested that the state's legislature—controlled by Democrats—pass an amendment that would allow Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick to appoint a temporary replacement. Lawmakers are debating the request.

Either way, the list of potential contenders is long. One possible candidate is Mr. Kennedy's nephew, Joseph P. Kennedy II, who served as a U.S. congressman between 1987 and 1999 and heads Citizens Energy Corp., a nonprofit that distributes heating oil to the poor.

The son of the late Robert F. Kennedy, Joseph Kennedy is "one of the most popular figures in Massachusetts," said David Paleologos, director of the Political Research Center at Suffolk University in Boston. In Suffolk's March poll of 400 likely voters in Massachusetts, 67% had a favorable view of him.

The younger Mr. Kennedy "has youth and spunk and government experience, and he has the Kennedy name," Mr. Paleologos said. If he chose to run, others said to be interested—including Democratic U.S. Reps. Michael Capuano and Stephen Lynch—"would take a second look at running," Mr. Paleologos predicted.

Mr. Kennedy's office didn't return a call seeking comment.

Edward Kennedy's widow, Victoria, also has been discussed as a possible candidate, but she reportedly has denied interest. Ms. Duffy said if Mrs. Kennedy ran, "there are a number of [potential candidates] who would naturally defer to her."

Other possible Democratic candidates include Martha Coakley, the state's attorney general since 2006, who has paid for polling about her viability as a Senate candidate. Ms. Coakley earned a 56% favorable rating in Suffolk's March poll. A spokeswoman for Ms. Coakley had no comment on her polling.

Martin Meehan, a former Massachusetts congressman who serves as chancellor of the University of Massachusetts campus in Lowell, "has always held aspirations to the Senate," Ms. Duffy said. Mr. Meehan still controls a campaign chest with $4.9 million left over from his tenure in Congress. The funds could jump-start a run, but Mr. Meehan has said he won't leave Lowell's chancellorship for several more years.

Mr. Meehan's office didn't respond to a request for comment.

U.S. Rep. Edward Markey, who represents a district near Boston, may also consider running. A spokesman declined comment.

Possible Republican candidates in the heavily Democratic state include Kerry Healey, a former lieutenant governor, and Michael Sullivan, a former U.S. attorney and state legislator.

Until 2004, Massachusetts's governor had the authority to appoint a replacement senator until the next general election. But the state legislature took away that power over concerns that then-Gov. Mitt Romney, a Republican, might appoint a Republican if Democratic Sen. John Kerry won his campaign that year for president.

Write to Jennifer Levitz at jennifer.levitz@wsj.com and Keith J. Winstein at keith.winstein@wsj.com