Martha Coakley - The Next Sen. Kennedy?

by Michael Jones · 2009-09-01 12:30:00 UTC
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Martha Coakley

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley picked up nomination papers to run for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by the death of Sen. Ted Kennedy.  While surprisingly quick, the move places one of the state's biggest advocates for LGBT rights - and herself somewhat of a national LGBT hero for filing a federal lawsuit challenging DOMA - in the spotlight to become the 100th member of the Senate.

Coakley is the first nominee to jump into what could be a crowded field.  Already, Massachusetts Reps. Edward Markey, Stephen Lynch and Michael Capuano have expressed an interest in the seat.  The primary election for Kennedy's U.S. Senate seat will be held on December 8, with a general election scheduled for January 19, 2010.

In July 2009, Coakley filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government challenging the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).  In the lawsuit, Coakley said that DOMA undermined states' efforts to recognize marriages between same-sex couples, and "codified an animus towards gay and lesbian people."

"Our familes, our communities, and even our economy have seen the many important benefits that have come from recognizing equal marriage rights and, frankly, no downside," Coakley said when filing the lawsuit.  "However, we have also seen how many of our married residents and their families are being hurt by a discriminatory, unprecedented, and, we believe, unconstitutional law."

Coakley now has to gather 10,000 signatures in the next five weeks to qualify for the ballot.  Her timing is definitely soon, given that Sen. Kennedy's funeral was only four days ago.  But when it comes to LGBT rights and working on behalf of LGBT constituents, she's certainly on par with the legacy of Sen. Kennedy.

Michael Jones is a Change.org Editor. He has worked in the field of human rights communications for a decade, most recently for Harvard Law School.
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