WHO CAN FILL JOHN KERRY’S SHOES? PRETTY MUCH ANYONE, APPARENTLY: UMass Lowell/Herald poll: Markey Dems’ favorite — But there’s hope for 3 GOP no-names.

UPDATE: Scott Brown more popular now – after losing. “A new UMass Lowell/Boston Herald poll shows the former GOP senator is much more popular now than when he lost his re-election race in November and is in a strong position to run for governor in 2014. Six in 10 Massachusetts voters have a favorable opinion of Brown and say they are very or somewhat likely to back him if he runs for governor next year, according to the poll of 589 registered voters. Brown’s unfavorable rating has dropped dramatically since his loss, from 39 percent in early November to just 24 percent now, the poll shows.” Well, that’s because the unrelenting attacks from the media have stopped. They’ll start again when he runs against a Democrat for something.