Beginning in 2006, Jeff Beatty knew he wanted to run for one of Massachusetts' seats in Washington, but, he said, the questions were which one and when.  

Jeff Beatty (R-Harwich)In this third and final segment of a sit down interview with PolitickerMA.com, Beatty reflects on his political education, namely what tricks he picked up from his 2006 challenge to U.S. Rep. Bill Delahunt and what he learned from Ed O'Reilly, the Democrat who challenged U.S. Sen. John Kerry in this year's primary. He explains why he decided to challenge Kerry and how he intends to beat the 24-year incumbent.

"I want voters on Nov. 4 to go in and ask themselves these questions: ‘Who do I trust to make a correct decision and also to make that decision for the right reasons? Who do I trust to make a decision that is putting my interest first, not their own? What combination of dissatisfaction or distrust of Kerry along with an appreciation of the relevant experience that Beatty brings to bear, where's the mix?'" Beatty said. "And we'll get an answer on Nov. 4. I am convinced that if people ask themselves those questions, we're going to win the election."

Through his primary challenge of John Kerry, Ed O'Reilly certainly raised his political profile from being a virtual unknown to, at the very least, a courageous challenger willing to take on one of the most established politicians in the Bay State.

Ed O'Reilly (D-Gloucester)And on Wednesday, O'Reilly told PolitickerMA.com that he is "absolutely" interested in running for office again.

But in the wake of his 38-point loss to the Boston senator, some local analysts said they don't see a future for O'Reilly in Bay State politics.

Dorie Clark, a Somerville Democratic strategist, suggested that O'Reilly was so overmatched in his race against Kerry in terms of his war chest and his name recognition that that the was never taken seriously by the political chattering class.

"Ed O'Reilly seems like a good guy and is funny as hell, but I'm not sure there was enough coverage of the race for him to have ‘broken through' and positioned himself for another office," Clark said.

Clark also noted that perhaps O'Reilly's future lies outside the political arena.

"He'd be a great talk show host, though," she said.

Ed O'Reilly, the Gloucester attorney who lost to John Kerry in last week's U.S. Senate Democratic primary, said Wednesday that he is definitely considering running for a political office again, though he isn't sure which one.

Ed O'Reilly (D-Gloucester)O'Reilly, who had never run for statewide political office before, lost to the Democratic senator by 38 points last Tuesday.

Asked if he is thinking of another run, O'Reilly said: "Absolutely. I'm keeping all my options open."

O'Reilly said he is pleased with last week's results since he faced a 24-year incumbent with a significantly larger war chest.

U.S. Sen. John Kerry (D-Boston) campaigning in Framingham this year: Politicker Photo

 John Kerry's more than two-to-one defeat of challenger Ed O'Reilly in Tuesday's U.S. Senate primary certainly sent the message that the Boston senator and 2004 Democratic presidential nominee is not easy to take on.

But with O'Reilly, who was virtually unknown before the Democratic State Convention in June, breaking 30 percent, several are questioning where the Gloucester attorney's support came from.

Several political analysts said it can't be overstated that earning nearly 70 percent of the vote, as Kerry did on Tuesday, is a resounding victory. But for someone with Kerry's stature as a former leader of his party and 24-year senator, some said that the results did raise questions about the size of Kerry's base of support in the Bay State.

"At 60+ percent Kerry got what he needed to in order to not look politically weak, said Dan Payne, a veteran Boston Democratic strategist. "But one out of three Democrats preferring someone else ain't exactly a ringing endorsement."

Coming off his loss to John Kerry, Ed O'Reilly said Tuesday night that he was pleased with the results given the uphill battle he faced to unseat the four-term senator.

"I feel very good about the results," the Gloucester attorney told PolitickerMA.com. "We never changed our positions on the issues. The issues were always out in front and I feel very good about that."

At the time of this writing, O'Reilly was losing to Kerry by 38 points with 96 percent of precincts reporting, according to the Boston Globe.

PolitickerMA.com stories on Tuesday's Massachusetts state primary:

U.S. Senate

• O’Reilly feels good about primary results
• Kerry beats O’Reilly
• PICTURES: Kerry supporters at State House polling station

U.S. House

• Olver cruises past Feuer

Governor's Council

• Timilty's brother: The Gov. ‘fully endorsed' her
• Patrick 'exploring all legal implications' with regard to forged Timilty mailer
  
• Timilty mailing features forged Patrick endorsement
  

• Suffolk 2nd:Wilkerson still hasn't called Chang-Diaz
  Wilkerson blames polling place changes for loss
• Suffolk 2nd: Lee calls role in Wilkerson, Chang-Diaz race ‘exaggerated’
• Middlesex 4th: Donnelly easily beats Hurd
  

State House

• Barnstable, Dukes, Nantucket: Report: Larkosh wins islands house seat
• Middlesex 2nd:Avella beats Bunker, looking forward to general against Arciero
  Arciero beats Wojtas by a 2-1 margin
• Middlesex 4th: Gregoire takes Middlesex 4th Democratic Primary
• Middlesex 6th: Richardson beats Harkness, Walsh in primary
  
• Middlesex 8th: Dykema dominates Mills in primary
• Middlesex 29th: Hecht wins primary
• Middlesex 29th: Watertown heads for House race showdown
• Middlesex 34th: Trane concedes to Sciortino
  Sciortino manager happy with turnout
  
• Middlesex 35th: Donato says win proves he was right to oppose gay marriage
• Plymouth 9th: Down by 13 votes to Brady, Sullivan may request recount
• Essex 5th: Verga falls in primary
• Essex 15th: Campbell survives primary

Reaction

• Mass. GOP says primary shows voters are ready for change

Turnout

• Low turnout Tuesday morning at State House polling station
• Setting (low) turnout expectations for the primaries

U.S. Sen. John Kerry (D-Boston) campaigning in Framingham this year: Politicker Photo

 Facing his first Senate primary challenger in 24 years, John Kerry cruised to victory Tuesday night.

Just minutes after the polls closed in Massachusetts, news organizations called the race for the senator from Boston. With 71 of 2,168 precincts reporting, Kerry leads Ed O'Reilly, the fiery Gloucester attorney, 70 percent to 30 percent, according to the Boston Globe.

"I am once again humbled by the support I received from voters across Massachusetts and, after a victory on November 4th, determined to prove worthy of your confidence in me over the next six years," the Democrat said in a statement.

BOSTON -- Here are a couple pictures of John Kerry supporters awaiting the senator's arrival Tuesday in front of the Capital Coffee House. Kerry pulled up to the State House after 9 a.m. to cast his vote.

Kerry supporters outside the Capital Coffee House: Politicker Photo

The National Organization of Women endorsed U.S. Sen. John Kerry in his re-election campaign Friday.

"Senator Kerry's record of support for women's rights legislation is extraordinary and NOW is proud to support his campaign for re-election," Kim Gandy, NOW president, said in a statement.

It's been four years since John Kerry ran in a contested Democratic primary in Massachusetts, and 24 years since the contested primary was for the United States Senate.  The question is whether Ed O'Reilly, the attorney from Gloucester who faces an uphill battle against Kerry in next week's Senate primary, will do better or worse than John Edwards did in 2004, when Kerry beat him 72%-18%, with 4% for Dennis Kucinich.  It is unlikely that O'Reilly will beat the previous mark of the best primary showing against Kerry: James Shannon's 38% in the 1984 Senate primary (Kerry won 41%).