Scott Brown decides to steer clear of Massachusetts U.S. Senate race

[garbon]

Was Seedy too busy fondling himself to post about this yesterday?

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/scott-brown-steers-clear-massachusetts-u-senate-race-185022117--election.html

cott Brown announced Friday that he won't vie for a political comeback this year in the special Massachusetts U.S. Senate race, dashing Republican hopes of having the well-known former senator on the ticket.

After a stunning 2010 special election victory that brought him to Congress, Brown was defeated last November by Democrat Elizabeth Warren in one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country.

Brown noted in a statement that he has received "a lot of encouragement from friends and supporters to become a candidate" for the seat Democratic Sen. John Kerry vacated to begin his service as secretary of state. But that and his "competitive instincts" weren't enough, Brown said:

Even so, I was not at all certain that a third Senate campaign in less than four years, and the prospect of returning to a Congress even more partisan than the one I left, was really the best way for me to continue in public service at this time. And I know it's not the only way for me to advance the ideals and causes that matter most to me. That is why I am announcing today that I will not be a candidate for the United States Senate in the upcoming special election.

Democratic Rep. Stephen Lynch, who announced his candidacy Thursday for the seat, said in a statement that Brown's decision was not unexpected.

"I understand Scott Brown's decision," said Lynch. "He has basically been campaigning non-stop for three years. It's perfectly understandable that he wouldn't want to undertake another campaign. I wish all the best to Scott and his family."

Lynch and colleague Rep. Ed Markey have already announced their intentions to seek the Democratic nomination.

Following Brown's decision, it remains unclear who is most likely to top the Republican field.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), which steers Republican Senate campaigns, made clear in a statement Friday it had been hopeful about a Brown candidacy.

"This was no doubt a tough personal decision for Senator Brown and his family, who understandably need to recharge after several long, hard-fought campaigns. Now that he has made a decision, it's time to move forward," Rob Collins, the NRSC's executive director, said in a statement.

Collins then suggested that Democrats have their own share of difficulties on their hands.

"As the Democratic primary between Reps. Ed Markey and Stephen Lynch turns uglier and nastier each day, the Massachusetts special election provides a real pick-up opportunity for Republicans, and we intend on defeating whichever career politician limps through," Collins said.

The special primary is scheduled for April 30 and the special general election June 25.

[CountDeMoney]

   He's not all bad.  But man, he turned himself into a serious asshole the last two months of the campaign, seriously sabotaging his own image.

It just means he'll eventually go for the governorship, and that would be a much more appropriate pathway to the White House than the Senate, if that's where he truly wants to go.

[OttoVonBismarck]

I'd heard awhile back the polling just doesn't work for him. Elizabeth Warren wasn't a particularly awesome candidate, she was just decent, and in Massachusetts a decent Democrat almost always beats any Republican. He got lucky in his first election after Kennedy died because he was running against an absolutely atrocious, incompetent candidate. Plus there is a subset of people who probably took it the wrong way when the Democrats were calling the seat "Ted Kennedy's seat", Brown's response that it's the people's seat was one of the best one liners in political memory.

[Darth Wagtaros]

Pity.

[Phillip V]

Brown's net worth actually declined by almost half to $500k a year after he got elected to the Senate. In a Congress of millionaires, he was probably close to being the poorest.

For this year, he should either get a lucrative private sector job or go full-time as a Colonel in the Army National Guard with an eye towards becoming a Brigadier General. In 2014, Brown can consider either a run for Massachusetts Governor or another run for U.S. Senate. He is still approved by a majority of voters despite losing in 2012.

[Phillip V]

I'd heard awhile back the polling just doesn't work for him. Elizabeth Warren wasn't a particularly awesome candidate, she was just decent, and in Massachusetts a decent Democrat almost always beats any Republican. He got lucky in his first election after Kennedy died because he was running against an absolutely atrocious, incompetent candidate. Plus there is a subset of people who probably took it the wrong way when the Democrats were calling the seat "Ted Kennedy's seat", Brown's response that it's the people's seat was one of the best one liners in political memory.

Warren benefited from strong Obama coattails. She only got 53% of the vote in Massachusetts compared to Obama's 60%.  It is debatable whether Warren would have beat Brown in a non-Presidential election year.

[Faeelin]

And so the Republicans lose their chance to get another seat in the senate. Yay!

[Razgovory]

Brown's net worth actually declined by almost half to $500k a year after he got elected to the Senate. In a Congress of millionaires, he was probably close to being the poorest.

For this year, he should either get a lucrative private sector job or go full-time as a Colonel in the Army National Guard with an eye towards becoming a Brigadier General. In 2014, Brown can consider either a run for Massachusetts Governor or another run for U.S. Senate. He is still approved by a majority of voters despite losing in 2012.

Just not approved of to hold political office.  Maybe he should go back to modeling.

[Phillip V]

Tagg Romney may be considering a run for Kerry's former Senate seat. The family requires it. 

http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_politics/2013/02/tagg_you%E2%80%99re_it_gop_senate_hopes

[MadImmortalMan]

What is it with Republicans giving their children retarded names?

[Eddie Teach]

Is Will Smith a Republican? 

[KRonn]

I wasn't too surprised that Brown opted out of the Senator special election, though it kind of leaves me wondering why he chose not to run. But he would have had some strong Dems running against him and things have changed for him since he won a couple of years ago.

As for governor, I'll wait and see but I prefer Charlie Baker who ran in the last election, and it was a close one. Probably the Independent running in that race took enough votes from him to allow Gov Patrick to win a second term. But Baker seems a strong candidate, well spoken, good ideas. Patrick won't be running again so the field will be open.

[derspiess]

What is it with Republicans giving their children retarded names?

We already had a thread on that last summer

[Eddie Teach]

What is it with Republicans giving their children retarded names?

We already had a thread on that last summer

So what was the answer?

[Valmy]

What is it with Republicans giving their children retarded names?

I think if your name is Mitt you are just carrying on a family tradition.