2013 is off to a disappointing start for political junkies. What once looked like an off-year full of tantalizing races has suffered from a series of missed opportunities. From the Hotline, “the contest to replace Secretary of State John Kerry was expected to be a barn-burner, featuring a comeback from former Sen. Scott Brown (R). But Brown announced Friday he wouldn’t run, and nearly every other known quantity on the MA GOP’s thin bench has subsequently passed, making the race close to a lay-up for Democrats. A Chris Christie-Cory Booker match-up would have been the year’s marquee race, pitting two of the country’s most colorful political personalities against one another. But Booker decided to run for Senate instead, and the rest of Democrats’ top recruits also shied away from challenging Christie and his imposing approval ratings. With Mayor Mike Bloomberg (finally) ready to leave City Hall, New York City has its first open-seat mayoral contest in 12 years. But City Council Speaker Christine Quinn (D) has emerged as a heavy favorite to win the Democratic nod, and public polling paints a dreary picture for city Republicans. Anything can change in a New York minute, but Quinn’s path to Gracie Mansion appears clear. Thankfully, the gubernatorial race in Virginia should provide some entertainment and controversy to get political junkies through to 2014 when AG Ken Cuccinelli (R) and former DNC chair Terry McAuliffe (D) face-off.”
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Feb 2013
