Gay former congressman Barney Frank misses out on temporary US Senate vacancy

Ex-congressman Barney Frank has been overlooked to serve as the interim US senator for Massachusetts.

Frank told reporters on Wednesday he’d spoken with Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick about the position. The seat was left vacant by Secretary of State designate John Kerry.

72-year-old Frank had made no secret of his desire for the temporary role.

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

He added: “Yes, in fact, I’m not going to be coy, it’s not anything I’ve ever been good at. I’ve told the governor that I would now like, frankly, to be a part of that. It’s only a three-month period, I wouldn’t want to do anything more, but to be honest, it’s a little arrogant.”

Frank was the first congressman to voluntarily declare being gay, as well as being the first congressman to have a same-sex marriage while in office.

• Nov 29 2023

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