Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick is tapping his former chief of staff, William “Mo” Cowan, to replace John Kerry in the Senate until a special election in June.
Cowan, a 43-year-old attorney, left Patrick’s office in November 2012 and was expected to return to the private sector. In a statement, Patrick said Cowan served Massachusetts with wisdom and good judgment and will do so again in the Senate.
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“Mo’s service on the front lines in our efforts to manage through the worst economy in 80 years and build a better, stronger Commonwealth for the next generation has earned him the respect and admiration of people throughout government,” he said in a statement.
During his brief stint as a senator, Cowan will participate in consequential debates about raising the debt limit, the so-called “sequestration” spending cuts and the federal budget.
Kerry, who represented Massachusetts in the Senate for 28 years, was confirmed as President Obama’s next secretary of state yesterday, with near-unanimous support in the Senate. The special election to replace Kerry in the Senate will take place on June 25, with the primary set for April 30.
