Race ratings: Delahunt seat now 'lean Democratic'

Following Rep. Bill Delahunt's (D-Mass.) announcement that he will retire, we are upgrading his seat from "worth watching" to "lean Democratic."

The district is the most accessible in Massachusetts for Republicans, having gone a relatively low 55 percent for President Obama in 2008. It was also the best district in the state for Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.), going for him by 20 points. At the same time, this is still Massachusetts in a general election. We'll wait to see how the field shakes out. But either way, the GOP has a solid pickup opportunity here.