JK has a republican opponent this fall,

Ogonowski plans Senate run against Kerry

By Ken Maguire, Associated Press Writer | January 12, 2008

BOSTON --Republican Jim Ogonowski, who narrowly lost a congressional race to Niki Tsongas in October, is preparing to challenge U.S. Sen. John Kerry, The Associated Press has learned.

Ogonowski, the brother of an airline pilot killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, said he's been attending Republican events around the state since his 6-point loss to Tsongas, a Democrat.

"There's nobody in Washington who represents the status quo more than John Kerry," said Ogonowski, who did not officially declare his candidacy...


...Tobe Berkovitz, interim dean of Boston University's college of communications, said Ogonowski's chances of unseating Kerry are "slim to slimmer."

He said Kerry will benefit from high turnout for the presidential election.

"Turnout will be huge. It's going to be a walk for him. I don't see this as much of a workout for Kerry," said Berkowitz, who has worked for Democrats.

Ogonowski "did better than expected" against Tsongas, Berkowitz said, but Kerry's stock is "at a pretty good level with the voters of the Commonwealth."

Republican consultant Charley Manning disagreed, saying Kerry's record of delivering for the state is remarkably thin because he's been more interested in national and international issues.

"I think people are kind of tired of John Kerry being our senator and I think he's ripe for the picking," Manning said.

Manning said Ogonowski's "regular guy appeal" is a major contrast to the patrician Kerry. That, combined with the electorate's general desire for change in Washington, could boost Ogonowski.

"It might be the right time and the right place," Manning said.

Ogo Ups His Goal

This has long been in the rumor/feeler stages, but today the AP reports that Jim Ogonowski really will run for US Senate against John Kerry.

Ogo turned out to not be a very good candidate when he ran for Congress last year in a special election, losing by a solid margin to Niki Tsongas. He didn't raise much money, never gained a strong debating presence, and couldn't seem to translate his personal story into a campaign theme.

Now he'll try running in areas far beyond where his local name recognition means anything, in far more heavily Democratic parts of the state, in what will be a huge Presidential-ballot turnout, against an incumbent with enormous resources. Good luck with that.

But, at least the state GOP will have someone on the ballot.

"Kerry doesn't live here. You don't see him on the streets of Boston, of Worcester, of Lowell, of Pittsfield."