This is really a pretty sad statement to the extremes the political parties will go to.
In 2004 this law was changed in MA before the election as Dems were concerned about a Repub governor selecting a Repub replacement senator should the Dems have won the election. But the Repub amendment to allow a temp appointed replacement pending an election was shot down in the legislature. Fast forward to 2009 and now it is ok to change the law, because it favors the Dems, to what was proposed 2004. Hypocrisy at its best.