GOP's Brown wins Mass. Senate seat in epic upset

BOSTON – In an epic upset in liberal Massachusetts, Republican Scott Brown rode a wave of voter anger to defeat Democrat Martha Coakley in a U.S. Senate election Tuesday that left President Barack Obama's health care overhaul in doubt and marred the end of his first year in office.

The loss by the once-favored Coakley for the seat that the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy held for nearly half a century signaled big political problems for the president's party this fall when House, Senate and gubernatorial candidates are on the ballot nationwide.

More immediately, Brown will become the 41st Republican in the 100-member Senate, which could allow the GOP to block the president's health care legislation and the rest of Obama's agenda. Democrats needed Coakley to win for a 60th vote to thwart Republican filibusters.

Democratic fingerpointing began more than a week ago as polls started showing a tight race, with the White House accusing Coakley of a poor campaign and the Coakley camp laying at some of the blame on the administration. Obama flew to Boston for last-ditch personal campaigning on Sunday.

With 87 percent of precincts counted, Brown led Coakley, 52 percent to 47 percent.

The election transformed reliably Democratic Massachusetts into a battleground state. One day shy of the first anniversary of Obama's swearing-in, it played out amid a backdrop of animosity and resentment from voters over persistently high unemployment, industry bailouts, exploding federal budget deficits and partisan wrangling over health care.

For weeks considered a long shot, Brown seized on such discontent to overtake Coakley in the final stretch of the campaign. Surveys showed his candidacy energized Republicans, including backers of the grass-roots "tea party" movement, while attracting disappointed Democrats and independents uneasy with where they felt the nation was heading.

Turnout was relatively heavy for a special election despite a mix of snow and rain showers across the state virtually all day.

Though he wasn't on the ballot, the president was on many voters' minds.

"I voted for Obama because I wanted change. ... I thought he'd bring it to us, but I just don't like the direction that he's heading," said John Triolo, 38, a registered independent who voted in Fitchburg.

He said his frustrations, including what he considered the too-quick pace of health care legislation, led him to vote for Brown.

 

Why she threw in the towel so early? Can't she concede after 90% of the vote had been counted?

 

Scott Brown profile

Scott Brown's previous greatest claim to fame was winning Cosmopolitan's America's Sexiest Man competition in June 1982.
Now he could go down in history as the man who stopped Barack Obama and the Democrats passing health care reform.

Never imagining a career in politics, Brown posed in the nude - with vital parts only just covered - as part of a modelling career to help pay his way through a law degree at Boston College.

Even before the campaign for the US senate he was only the third best known member of the family in Massachusetts. His daughter Ayla was a finalist in the 2006 version of American Idol, the TV talent show. His wife of 23 years is Gail Huff, a veteran reporter at WCVB-TV, an ABC affiliate.

Brown became a moderately successful lawyer, dealing mainly with property deals, and has spent years in the National Guard.

As a Republican, he was becoming an endangered species in Massachusetts politics. First elected to the state's lower house in 1998, he became a state senator in 2004.

Always ready for the cameras with his easy-going nature, when he heard an English reporter's accent during the campaign, he exclaimed "Hey! I'm a big fan of John Cleese."

He has pitched himself as an ordinary, pick-up truck driving guy ready to stand up against big government and higher taxes for the ordinary people.

"I'm just a guy from Wrentham who drives a truck," is a standard refrain.

A supporter of abortion rights but strong opponent of gay marriage, he has described himself as "fiscally conservative but socially conscious".

 

Obama would had to work twice as hard since Mass has elected a jerk for public office. There is celebration at Fixed News and big headlines in the Boston Herald tomorrow.

 

You bet. Say goodbye to socialized medicine! :smt043

 

CNN reports
"The loss by the once-favored Democrat Coakley in the Democratic stronghold is a stunning embarrassment for the White House after Obama rushed to Boston on Sunday to try to save the foundering candidate. Her defeat on Tuesday signaled big political problems for the president's party this fall when House, Senate and gubernatorial candidates are on the ballot nationwide".

If this is a template for next fall, then it might be a big blood bath in November.

 

Real Universal health should have been the agenda, not "affordable", "subsidized" care through private insurers. The public option which made the act better was squashed, so the dems made all those concessions and deals for what? Go hard or go home.

 

Agreed 100%.

 

Once this clown opens his mouth with the same Faux News talking points, it's a wrap.

 

Do you think the republican canidate would have done the same thing?
I doubt it.

 

Its pretty obvious whats going on. The governer races in New Jersey and Virginia, and now this. Its pretty safe to say, the majority of people in this country are rejecting Obama's agenda. This wasnt a vote against Obama, but a vote against his policys. From the stimulus package that has not worked like he claimed, Unemployment is still very high and people are not finding work not. Mortgage modification plans that are not working, foreclosures are still on the rise. And look at our increasing Debt! And the heathcare fiasco, the majority does not want this garbage healthcare reform bill,that was done in secret with closed doors, bribes and special deals done, and it was promised countless times it would be on CSPAN. Lets not forget our war on terror, terrorist's gettin civilian trials! I could go on and on.This isnt " Change we can Believe in". Bottom line is in todays world, people are more involved in politics than ever. And if you dont deliver, or force things on people you dont want, your history!! Massachusetts is just the start.

 

Take off your disguise.

Your face is showing.

 

Uh oh, don't tell that to the uneducated majority who voted for him!

 

Why?

You never looked at it under Bush.

 

My two cents

When I look at this it's so angering and not because the Democrats lost a seat in the senate which let's face it means nothing. They couldn't get shit done with an overwhelming majority because they're too concerned about making friends with everyone and are too concerned about being called unamerican. I'm pissed because these politician are suppose to representatives of public interests and who's interest is the right look after when they want to knock public healthcare without a viable option. The number one reason for bankruptcy before the economic crisis was because of unpaid medical expenses. Losing your job or not having adequate health insurance shouldn't mean emminante death. When the Republicans bash Obama for his healthcare policy and offer no alternative they not only halt progress they shit on their countless constinuency who have no to afford treatment. It always seems to go back to corporate interest over the interest of people. Makes me fucking sick thank God I have insurance.

 

I so call bullshit on your comment.
1. The problems that this country faces economically were well in motion before Obama became president. You can't expect one administration to fix problems that took four terms to create especially the gross mismanagement of military spending that could pay for the healthcare overhaul right now. This administration can't be completely held responsible for unemployment too. People are afraid to spend money which keeps productivity low and less need for job creation.

2. The stimulus package was signed in by the last President not this one and truthfully what would have been a better idea just all those companies fail and let unemployment double. This problem will take way more than a year to correct so stop expecting miracles from this man.

3. If you don't think all major and important political dealings aren't done with backroom deals and in secrecy then welcome to planet earth.

 

Oops!!!:smt042

 

True Chicity. Where were those critics when Bush and the GOP were in total control in the last eight years? The Bush Congress rubber stamped like the dickens spending bill after spending bill for war and everything their cronies wanted. Those tea baggers don't know high spending if it hits them. The conservatives don't know morals than a hole in the ground.

 

Dude it's not fair to say conservatives aren't moral. Those of them who get attention are you usually under educated and easily manipulated. They seem to have a deep love for this country and what it stands for but are usually manipulated for the corporate interests.

 

[YOUTUBE]m3oTNWhlqX0[/YOUTUBE]