The Week That Was -- State Senate Succession

I'm back from vacation and seem to have missed a few thing while I was away. Let's start with the state senate.

Jack Hart announced that the rumor I alluded to a month ago was true; he is leaving the state senate to make more money in law practice (more, that is, than he was making before with the time and conflict restrictions of also being a state senator).

Nobody begrudges him the exit; dude's got kids who won't get through college by Irish step-dancing on subway platforms for change.

There will be plenty of interest in the seat, but I'm guessing it will come down to Linda Dorcena Forry vs Nick Collins (or maybe Michael Flaherty), in a furious battle over whether the 1st Suffolk remains a Southie seat.

Oh, and just for the record, my preference would be for the whole St. Patrick's Breakfast thing to just go away anyway, so this would be a perfect time to make that happen. Please.

Meanwhile, wrap your brain around the fact that the senior member of Boston's senate delegation is Anthony Petruccelli, who has been there since July 2007; followed by Sonia Chang-Diaz, 2009; Sal DiDomenico, May 2010; Michael Rush, 2011; William Brownsberger, January 2012; and Hart's replacement.

Partly as a consequence of all this turnover, there are no Boston-representing senators in top posts in the new leadership team announced last week by senate president Therese Murray, of far-away Plymouth.

In fact, if my knowledge of Massachusetts geography is correct, the shortest commute to the Golden Dome among the senate leaders now belongs to  new majority whip Karen Spilka of Ashland.

Stan Rosenberg of Amherst moves up to majority leader.

Richard Moore, from the magical kingdom of Uxbridge (yeah right like that's a real place), gets the magical position of president pro tempore (yeah right like that's a real job).

Harriette Chandler of Worcester remains as assistant majority leader.

Mark Montigny of New Bedford has stuck around long enough that Murray has let him into leadership as assistant majority whip.

Stephen Brewer of Barre, who represents the Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex District, is still Ways & Means chair, which means we still face the question: "Is Barre in Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire, or Middlesex?"

And Jennifer Flanagan, the pride of Leominster, comes back as W&M vice chair.

So much for you, greater Boston area.