Edward Kennedy

The Bay State's population increased, but not by as much as other states. Let the grumblings about losing a congressional seat begin.

Sen. Kennedy and his staff continue to work meticulously behind the scenes to avoid previous health care reform pitfalls.

Ogo finds himself in debt.

Evangelidis keeps the dream alive.

Not surprisingly, the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe's casino contract is likely to be reviewed.

And check out the video below of Congressman Barney Frank on MSNBC Monday. Near the end, Frank says President-elect Barack Obama "overestimates" his ability to bring opposing sides together.

U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy recently emailed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's supporters seeking contributions to help Reid win re-election in 2010 and indicating that Reid is already the target of the GOP in 2010, according to the email obtained by PolitickerMA.com.

Kennedy, a Hyannis Port Democrat, praises Reid in the email, saying he is grateful Reid is the majority leader. Republicans, Kennedy wrote, know Reid is pivotal to the Democrats' agenda and are already looking to unseat him in 2010 as they did to former Majority Leader Tom Daschle in 2004.

"Our GOP opponents understand Harry's role, and they're already looking for ways to undermine his leadership," Kennedy wrote. "He faces reelection in Nevada in 2010, and he's already being targeted for defeat. The next [Federal Election Commission] fundraising report will cover early contributions to 2010 candidates through this December and the GOP will use that report to decide whether they can beat Harry Reid."

U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy commended the appointment of U.S. Sen. John Kerry to be the next chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Monday.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced that Kerry will take the helm of the influential committee, though he was already in line for the post.

Kennedy, a Hyannis Port Democrat, said Kerry is well-prepared for the job.

"John will do an excellent job as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and the nation's fortunate to have him in this high position," Kennedy said in a statement. "I know he'll make significant contributions to our foreign policy in dealing with the many challenges we face in our relationships with other countries, and he'll work well with President [Barack] Obama and Secretary of State [Hillary] Clinton to restore America's respect in the world."

U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Hyannis Port)

Massachusetts' senior U.S. senator, Edward Kennedy, remains one of the most popular pols in the Bay State, according to a recent survey by Rasmussen Reports.

The poll, conducted of 500 likely Massachusetts voters on Dec. 9, showed that 65 percent have a favorable impression of Kennedy, a Hyannis Port Democrat. On the other hand, 33 percent have an unfavorable view.

The Democrat is often viewed among the most popular pols in the state. A poll in August showed him to be the most favorably viewed elected official in the state.

UPDATED: The proposed $14 billion bailout of the automobile industry failed to garner enough votes to move forward in the U.S. Senate Thursday night. Neither of Massachusetts senators cast ballots on the measure, though their votes likely would not have influenced the outcome.

The proposal needed 60 votes to move forward through the cloture motion. It received 52 votes, but 35 voted against it. U.S. Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-Hyannis Port) and John Kerry (D-Boston) were among the 12 senators that did not cast votes.

Kerry is out of the country this week, representing the United States at a United Nations conference on climate change in Poznan, Poland.

A spokesman for Kennedy did not immediately return a request for comment.

U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy's ideas for how to reform the No Child Left Behind Act could come to fruition next year when Congress votes to reauthorize, Politico reports.

Kennedy, a Hyannis Port Democrat, helped guide the bill through the legislative process 2001. Since then, as chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Kennedy has focused reforms on a few areas including closing the student-teacher achievement gap, amending how the legislation treats low-performing schools, and encouraging parents to get more involved, according to Kennedy aides that spoke to Politico.

Those aides also said that Kennedy plans to either include those reforms in the reauthorization of the bill or introduce them individually.

U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy applauded President-elect Barack Obama's appointment of former U.S. Sen. Tom Daschle as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday.

Kennedy, a Hyannis Port Democrat, has made reforming health care to provide universal health insurance among his top priorities in the next Congress, stepping down from his post on the Judiciary Committee to focus on that goal.

"Exceptional challenges call for exceptional leaders, and Tom is an ideal choice to meet the urgent challenge of health reform," Kennedy said in a statement. "His integrity, intelligence, experience and commitment to the American people have won him friends and admirers on both sides of the aisle."

U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy has not contacted New York Gov. David Paterson about the possibility of Kennedy's niece, Caroline, being appointed to Hillary Clinton's U.S. Senate seat, the New York Times reported Wednesday.

The report directly contradicts an earlier story by the Times that said Kennedy, had reached out to Paterson about the appointment. In Wednesday's story, Paterson, a Democrat, denied any discussion taking place.

"We just haven't talked at all," he told the Times. "He hasn't sent any message to me from anyone. And no one has even called me and said they've spoken to him."

Speculation whether Caroline Kennedy will be appointed the next U.S. Senator from New York is an interesting twist on a life spent shying away from public life and has some considering her relationship with her uncle, Edward. (The elder Kennedy has denied that he is lobbying to make that appointment happen, though.)

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino is looking for funding from President-elect Barack Obama. And so is Gov. Deval Patrick.

Patrick also said that Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's arrest shouldn't influence his ability to appoint a U.S. senator in the event of a vacancy.

Boston City Council President Maureen Feeney kept her promise Tuesday and announced that an "independent fact finder" will look into whether any Council action should be taken against City Councilor Chuck Turner now that the indictment has come down.

Support for the auto bailout in Congress may break down geographically more than anything else.

Is Michael Kelleher a rising political star?

More after the jump.

Edward Kennedy's office said Tuesday that the senator has not reached out to New York officials about the possible appointment of his niece, Caroline, to the U.S. Senate, sharply disputing an anonymously sourced story in the New York Times Tuesday.

"Senator Kennedy has not contacted anyone in New York regarding the possibility of Caroline Kennedy serving in the Senate," Kennedy's spokesman, Anthony Coley, said in a statement.

The Times article cited Democratic aides who said Kennedy has called New York Gov. David Paterson, U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer and Robert Menendez about the prospect of appointing his niece to U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton's seat when she steps down to become secretary of state.