The new Massachusetts senator

Yesterday, John Kerry was confirmed as the country’s 68th Secretary of State, by a vote of 94 to 3. The only Republicans to oppose his confirmation were Ted Cruz and John Cornyn of Texas, and James Inhofe of Oklahoma. This morning, wasting no time at all, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick announced Kerry’s replacement—William “Mo” Cowan, Patrick’s former chief of staff.

Cowan will hold seat until this summer, when voters will choose someone to serve out Kerry’s term (in the running, so far, are Rep. Ed Markey and Rep. Stephen Lynch). In the meantime, Cowan will be the eighth African American to serve in the United States Senate, and the sixth since Reconstruction. What’s more, this will be the first time in more than a century that two African Americans have served concurrently in the Senate. ...Greg Sargent, WaPo