[Recovering_Democrat]

The last Republican voted into the seat was Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. He was Nixon’s VEEP running mate in 1960, I believe.

He was elected in 1946...just to give some perspective to the enormity of what happened last night.

[lysie]

I had a Nixon/Lodge poster in my bedroom when I was a youngster.

[goldstategop]

1946 was a Republican year and the GOP won control of Congress. Richard Nixon and Henry Cabot Lodge were part of the 46' class elected in reaction to the excesses of New Deal Democratic rule.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find only things evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelogus

[Captain Jack Aubrey]

Sen. Ed Brooke

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Brooke

[K-oneTexas]

If memory serves: Lodge’s seat went to JFK in 1952 or there about. Funny, the percentage breakdown was in JFK’s favor almost like the Brown/Coakley percentage breakdown.

Then, I think, JFK went to the Presidency and Teddy Kennedy was appointed to JFK’s unexpired term around 1960-62. Teddy held this seat for something like 47 years.

Sounds like a meritocracy and nepotism in Massachusetts. But so history goes.

Now it’s a Republican seat again with Brown’s win ... at least maybe till the November 2010 Mid-terms. We shall see how the pendulum swings then.