The Hiller Instinct: Senate race seems dull

I'll bet you didn't even know today was the deadline to register to vote in the senate primaries next month. And I'll also bet December 8th isn't circled on your calendar, so you won't forget. According to our recent 7News/Suffolk University poll, only one of every ten voters knows when the election is.

So riddle me this: why does the race to replace Ted Kennedy seem so dull, when it should be so exciting?

Don't blame the candidates:

You want a senator willing to take a risky stand, then take Martha Coakley.

She said she wouldn't vote for the healthcare bill because it restricts women's access to abortion, and she stuck to her principles.

How about an in-your-face senator who'll fight for every federal dollar he can get for Massachusetts? Well, that's Mike Capuano.

And isn't Alan Khazei the kind of guy we always say we wished would run? You know, a citizen who's actually accomplished something?

And no matter how many votes he winds up winning, Steve Pagliuca has done his best to build interest in this race by advertising everywhere...24/7.

Scott Brown looks like he has a political future here, even if he is a Republican...though, frankly, I can't say the same for perpetual candidate Jack E. Robinson.

I think what's making this campaign so flat is that the candidates aren't connecting, and I'm not sure they can. Right now, voters doubt--and distrust-- politicians and government.

How can you get excited about something you don't believe in?

Why even vote?

Please, prove me wrong.

I’m Andy Hiller, and that’s my instinct.