Timeline is murky for Perry to call election to replace Hutchison in Senate

By TODD J. GILLMAN

WASHINGTON – The death of Sen. Ted Kennedy has provided a fresh reminder that when a Senate seat comes open, two things are sure to happen: Ambitious politicians will scramble for a shot at a rare prize, and law books will get dusted off as state and party officials sort through the arcane and confusing rules.

In Massachusetts, unlike in Texas and 44 other states, the governor has no legal authority to install a temporary replacement. One of Kennedy’s final acts was to ask his state’s leaders to change that.

In Texas, all eyes are on Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who says she’ll resign ahead of the March primary in which she hopes to oust Gov. Rick Perry, but hasn’t said when.

Depending on when she quits and when Perry orders a special election, an interim senator he names could serve for a few weeks or many months.

We’ll leave speculation over names to another time. For now, let’s focus on the rules.

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