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The Next Mass. Senator Isn’t Barney Frank

The Next Mass. Senator Isn’t Barney Frank

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Barney Frank fans were disappointed today when Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick appointed someone to the Senate seat vacated by Secretary of State John Kerry and it wasn't the longtime gay activist.

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After weeks of speculation that Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick might appoint former congressman Barney Frank to the Senate seat vacated by John Kerry, who has just been confirmed as the new secretary of State, Patrick appointed William "Mo" Cowan to the seat on an interim basis. A special election for the seat will be held in June.

According to The Huffington Post, Patrick, Cowan, and the Lt. Governor, Tim Murray, were chummy and jocular at this morning's news conference.

"He's cool," Murray said of Cowan. "Tom Brady, George Clooney, James Bond, the president have nothing on Mo."

"It was a private fact, but now known publicly thanks to the lieutenant governor, that he also brought cool," Patrick added.

HuffPo reports that the 43-year-old Cowan, the former chief of staff and former legal counsel to Patrick, grew up in rural poverty in North Carolina and went to Duke University and Northeastern University School of Law before becoming a prominent Boston lawyer. His appointment makes it the first time in American history that two black senators will serve at the same time.

According to Luke Johnson, Patrick did not pick Frank because he was turned off by Frank's public campaign for the position.

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Diane Anderson-Minshall

Diane Anderson-Minshall is the CEO of Pride Media, and editorial director of The Advocate, Out, and Plus magazine. She's the winner of numerous awards from GLAAD, the NLGJA, WPA, and was named to Folio's Top Women in Media list. She and her co-pilot of 30 years, transgender journalist Jacob Anderson-Minshall penned several books including Queerly Beloved: A Love Across Genders.
Diane Anderson-Minshall is the CEO of Pride Media, and editorial director of The Advocate, Out, and Plus magazine. She's the winner of numerous awards from GLAAD, the NLGJA, WPA, and was named to Folio's Top Women in Media list. She and her co-pilot of 30 years, transgender journalist Jacob Anderson-Minshall penned several books including Queerly Beloved: A Love Across Genders.