BOSTON -- Some would say running against Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy is a political quest worthy of Don Quixote.

NewsCenter 5's Pam Cross reported that two Bay State Republicans said they are up to the task.

If candidates Ken Chase and Kevin Scott don't look familiar to you, you are not alone. They're the Republicans who want Kennedy 's four-decade reign as a Massachusetts senator to end.

"Iraq was a war that was easily avoidable. If we had an energy policy, if our senator had done his job in his 44 years, we would not be in Iraq today," Chase said. "It was easily avoidable if Ted Kennedy had done his job over these 44 years."

Chase blamed Kennedy for failed energy practices and a lot of other things. Chase, 44, owns a language school in Belmont. This is his fourth run for office. His Republican opponent Kevin Scott, 43, is a former Wakefield selectman and high-tech executive, who calls himself a regular guy.

"We haven't had a senator that will walk down Main Street, meet, talk to and, most importantly, listen to the people of Massachusetts," Scott said.

"It's easy to criticize the president. It's easy to criticize the prosecution of the war. I am not a military expert. What I am saying is this war is easily avoidable. There is too much division and polarization due to the war, which is inevitable when you lose the lives of American soldiers. But we wouldn't be there if our senator had done his job," Chase said.

"We are where we now, and we need to support our troops. I think the emphasis needs to be shifting almost completely toward enablement of the Iraqi military," Scott said.

Both candidates said that the fight for homeland security is far from over.

"When it comes to immigration, I know the Border Patrol is saying they have 1.1 million people they stop every year from coming into the country. They say they are getting one out of four. That means there are 3.3 million people coming into the country illegally. And we clearly have a Congress that is not doing their job at securing our borders," Scott said.

A Kennedy staffer said the senator always runs for the office and not against another candidate.

She added that Kennedy looks forward to traveling across the state to discuss his vision for a stronger, more secure future.