Election shocker throws US health reform into question

US Democrats lost their Senate supermajority in a surprising Massachusetts election result on Tuesday. Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, the Democratic candidate, was heavily favored going into the special election to fill the late Teddy Kennedy's seat. But state Senator Scott Brown, a Republican, managed to pull off an upset. Mr Brown's victory has been cast as a referendum on President Barack Obama and the Democratic Party nationwide -- particularly the sweeping health reform that is on the verge of becoming law.

The party's health reform effort now faces an uncertain future.

There's been talk, however, of the Democrats perhaps still passing a version of one of the health reform bills that have been proposed over the last few months. According to congressional procedure, the House of Representatives (still controlled by a Democratic supermajority) could theoretically pass the bill the Senate passed last month. That may not happen, of course; they may fear that the Massachusetts result indicates that passing the health reform bill as it stands would not go over well with voters in this November's midterm congressional elections.

Ironically, Massachusetts is the only state with near-universal health insurance coverage. And Mr Brown voted in favour of the state's plan under former Governor Mitt Romney, also a Republican.

Photo: Massachusetts Senate

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