Q&A #3: Senate '12/Mayor '13

 Ask Me Anything Day rolls on! "RMC Strategies" asks:

Could you handicap the top 4 folks in the US Senate dem primary (based on assumptions of who may be in) and the top 4 folks who would be NEXT mayor of Boston (outside of Menino)?

Well, the four who are making noise about running I would put in the following order of likelihood to win the nomination: Setti Warren, Kim Driscoll, Alan Khazei, Bob Massie -- with the caveat that I don't think there's a huge difference in the odds among all four.

There is obviously plenty of time for others to get in, including those with the finances and name recognition to immediately zoom to the top of that list. But as I mentioned in a post the other day, I think those pols are looking past 2012, when they'd have to forgo their own re-elections and face Scott Brown, in favor of the possibility of a 2013 special election if John Kerry becomes Secretary of State for a 2nd Obama term.

As for mayor... I'd say if Menino does not run for re-election my early favorites are Michael Flaherty, John Connolly, Andrea Cabral, and Rob Consalvo, in that order -- although there are a host of other contenders right behind them.