To what extent was Coakley's loss about gender?

That's the question the New York Times takes up here. Following is an excerpt suggesting that Scott Brown's victory in the U.S. Senate race last week wasn't just about health care reform or the tea party phenom:

For decades, women have been unable to gain a solid political toehold in Massachusetts, a state long dominated by male political figures. Five women in Massachusetts’s history — including Ms. Coakley, the attorney general — have been elected to statewide constitutional office, and four have been elected to the House of Representatives.

And here's a quote from Democratic political consultant, Mary Anne Marsh:

Welcome to liberal Massachusetts — we’re not. ... And if you didn’t believe it before, anyone who thinks that Massachusetts is liberal in light of Tuesday’s results need only look at the record and lack of success women have had in Massachusetts politics. That should just put it away for good.

Glad to see this angle on last week's election finally being aired.