Barney Frank mum on 2012 Senate race

[ccharles000]

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) isn’t entertaining questions about whether he will run for Senate against Sen. Scott Brown (R) in 2012.

Asked by The Hill if he might run, Frank’s reply was: Ask me later.

With a handful of House races still uncalled in 2010, the longtime Massachusetts congressman complained that constant questions from the press about political campaigns gave the public the impression that politicians are always thinking about the next election.

“I won’t discuss any electoral issues for some time,” Frank said.

Frank, who shepherded an overhaul of Wall Street regulations through the House last year, will lose his chairmanship of the House Financial Services Committee when Republicans take power in January.

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/130009-barney-frank-mum-on-2012-senate-race

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. That's technically not frank.

:shrug:

[BeyondGeography]

2. Can't picture Barney in the Senate

But the sight of him kicking Scott Brown's ass would be worth it.

[Hippo_Tron]

3. Barney is too old to start a Senate career

He'd have to give up all of the seniority he has built up in the House and start over as a freshman. Right now he's the key Democrat in the House on anything regarding financial services and if he were to go over to the Senate he would not be a key player in that arena (or any for that matter).

[joshcryer]

4. Correct, I believe he feels like he can effect more change by being on the appropriations side.

Not that we don't need more liberal Senators.

[DrToast]

5. Even if he doesn't run, it's better for Brown to think he might.*

*

[Hippo_Tron]

6. That depends on whether the objective is to get Brown to vote across the aisle

Or if the objective is to defeat Brown. If it's the latter then it's better to make him think he could have weak opposition.

[ShadowLiberal]

7. Agreed, plus if democrats retake the house majority Frank gets his chairmanship back

I don't see why someone in the house as long as Frank would walk away from it to run for the senate. It makes as much sense as Mike Castle's decision to run for the senate when he's like over 70 years old I think.

[Hippo_Tron]

10. Castle's decision made slightly more sense than Barney Frank running would

For one, Castle had 12 years less seniority in the House than Frank does. Secondly, House Republican leadership requires loyalty as well as seniority to get a chairmanship and Castle can't be a party loyalist and represent Delaware. Castle basically had no shot of becoming a key player in the House and so he might have had more influence as a Senator or at least he would've had a wider range of issues he could influence. Barney Frank is a key player in the House and has no reason to trade that away for the Senate.

[Arkana]

8. I like Barney, but he's gotta stay where he is.

I want a guy who's less of a magnet and a better campaigner for that spot. If I had to pick one from the MA delegation, it'd be Capuano.

[craigmatic]

9. He's too old we need somebody with charisma who can win the seat.