Barney Frank Seeks Senate Appointment

Liberal Massachusetts Democrat Barney Frank, who just retired as one of the most powerful members of the House, would now like to join the Senate.

He said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” Friday that he contacted Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick asking for an appointment as interim senator to replace Democratic Sen. John Kerry, who is President Barack Obama’s choice for secretary of state.

This represents a change of heart for the 16-term congressman, Politico reports.

“A month ago, or a few weeks ago, I said I wasn’t interested,” Frank explained. “It was kind of like you’re about to graduate, and they said: ‘You gotta go to summer school.’ But [the fiscal cliff deal] now means that February, March and April are going to be among the most important months in American financial history.”

Frank says he’s not interested in running in the special election to complete Kerry’s term, which ends in 2014. That vote will probably happen this summer.

Other possibilities for selection by Patrick include former Gov. Michael Dukakis and former Massachusetts Supreme Court Justice Margaret Marshall. Just-ousted Republican Sen. Scott Brown has expressed interest in the special election.