In Massachusetts Race, Ideology Isn't Only Issue

Jeff Perry has the best chance of any Republicans running in Massachusetts to edge out the Democrats. Living in Massachusetts myself, it is interesting to observe the way that Republicans are trying to inch their way into the national legislature in a state that is traditionally always Democratic. Scott Brown's victory last year gave all Republicans in this election some hope that they too could be elected in such a liberal place. However, Perry has another issue to worry about: there was an illegal strip search incident in 1991 when he was a police sergeant that his opponent, William R. Keating, has brought to the attention of residents in their district. Even so, his past record with votes in the state legislature have local Republicans hoping that he can still defeat Keating in 8 days. Though Perry is fighting for a seat that has been ruled by Democrats for 30 years, he is receiving lots of aid from the National Republican Congressional Committee, the American Action Network, and even the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The hundreds of thousands of dollars invested in this race for the Republicans could in fact give them the advantage in this Massachusetts election.