Mo Cowan

Mo Cowan
Official portrait, 2013
United States Senator
from Massachusetts
In office
February 1, 2013 – July 15, 2013
Appointed byDeval Patrick
Preceded byJohn Kerry
Succeeded byEd Markey
Personal details
Born
William Maurice Cowan

(1969-04-04) April 4, 1969 (age 55)
Yadkinville, North Carolina, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseStacy Cowan
Children2
EducationDuke University (BA)
Northeastern University (JD)
WebsiteSenate website

William Maurice Cowan (born April 4, 1969) is an American politician who served as a United States Senator from Massachusetts from February 1, 2013, to July 15, 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as legal counsel and chief of staff to Governor Deval Patrick. Patrick appointed him on an interim basis to fill the vacancy left by fellow Democrat John Kerry, who resigned to become U.S. Secretary of State.[1]

Cowan declined to run in the 2013 special election to complete the remainder of Kerry's term. He was succeeded by fellow Democrat Ed Markey. Cowan was the eighth African-American U.S. Senator and the second from Massachusetts after Edward Brooke. He was one of three African-American U.S. senators in the 113th Congress, along with Republican Senator Tim Scott from South Carolina and Democrat Cory Booker from New Jersey, although he did not serve alongside Booker, who took office on October 31, 2013.[2]

  1. ^ Kerry, John (January 29, 2013). "Letter to Deval Patrick" (PDF). boston.com. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
  2. ^ Montanaro, Domenico; Murray, Mark (January 30, 2013). "Patrick appoints former chief of staff interim senator; first time there will be two black senators". NBC News. Retrieved January 30, 2013.