Gov. Deval Patrick (D-Mass.) has named Paul Kirk, former Democratic National Committee chairman and aide to Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), to fill Kennedy’s vacant seat until a special election is held in January to fill the seat permanently. The pick comes one day after the Massachusetts legislature changed the law to allow Patrick to name an interim successor, and once again gives Democrats a theoretically filibuster-proof 60-seat supermajority in the Senate. Kirk said he will not be a candidate in the January election.

This post has been updated.