Published: June 29, 2008 03:06 pm      

UPDATE — Sen. Kerry facing first Democratic foe in decades

BOSTON — Sen. John Kerry is facing his first primary opponent since he first took office 23 years ago, and his challenger has one issue in mind: The senator’s 2003 vote authorizing President Bush to launch military action against Iraq.

Ed O’Reilly said he was so incensed by Kerry’s vote that he gave up his law practice to devote himself full-time to ousting the Democratic 2004 presidential nominee from office.

“I looked at that and said ’What kind of person would vote for a war knowing it’s wrong?”’ said O’Reilly, who supported Kerry’s 2004 presidential bid after initially backing Howard Dean. “John Kerry knew the vote was wrong but to increase his chances to become president he voted for it anyway. It was a calculated vote based on his own political ambition.”

Kerry has defended his vote, saying it was intended to give Bush a strong hand in seeking international sanctions — an option he says the White House did not pursue effectively.

Although few give O’Reilly anything more than long shot odds at defeating Kerry, the 55-year-old lawyer and former firefighter from the fishing village of Gloucester has already scored one victory.

Earlier this month, O’Reilly received the backing of about 23 percent of delegates at the annual state Democratic convention — despite an effort by Kerry supporters to deny him the 15 percent needed to get a spot on the ballot.