Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/mass-governor-sets-election-date-for-kennedy-seat Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Transcript Gov. Deval Patrick has set the date for a special election to finish out Edward M. Kennedy's term in the Senate. Two Massachusetts lawmakers debate the decision. Read the Full Transcript Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors. JIM LEHRER: And next tonight: filling Edward Kennedy's Senate seat.Earlier today, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick set a January 19, 2010, date for a special election. He also said he supports a proposal that would allow him to make a temporary appointment. GOV. DEVAL PATRICK, D-Mass.: I wholly support the special election and the democratic process to fill the remaining two years of Senator Kennedy's term.But I will continue to work with the legislature on legislation authorizing an interim appointment to the United States Senate for the five months, until that special election happens. This is the only way to ensure that Massachusetts is fully represented until the voters of the state elect our next senator in January. JIM LEHRER: The governor also said Kennedy's widow, Victoria Reggie Kennedy, was not interested in the interim position.Margaret Warner has more. MARGARET WARNER: As Massachusetts law now stands, Senator Kennedy's death leaves Senate Democrats shy of their 60-seat filibuster-proof majority until the special election in January at least.That could affect votes on key issues, like health care and climate change. Kennedy himself recognized the potential ramifications. In a recent letter to the governor and legislature, Kennedy urged state law be amended to allow an interim appointment until the special election occurs.Some Republicans are crying foul, noting it was Democrats who eliminated the governor's Senate vacancy appointment power in 2004 to prevent then-Republican Governor Mitt Romney from naming a successor if Democratic Senator John Kerry were elected president.To debate all this, I'm joined now by two members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Republican George Peterson Jr., the assistant minority leader, and Democrat Robert Koczera. He introduced a bill in January to let the governor appoint an interim senator.Welcome to you both.Representative Koczera, the governor's proposal is not identical to yours, but it's close. Tell me, how would it work?