A day after his momentous victory propelling him to the U.S. Senate, Scott Brown pledged yesterday to make good on his campaign promises — to battle for Massachusetts when solving the nation’s problems and improve health care reform.
Given his Senate vote wipes out a 60-vote Senate majority for Democrats, Brown could face enormous pressure from his Republican colleagues in Washington to vote along party lines. But yesterday Brown promised to maintain his independent spirit, even suggesting he could be a “new breed of Republican coming to Washington.”
“I’m not beholden to anybody,” he said.
Throughout the campaign, Brown professed his desire to send the national health care bill “back to the drawing board.” He panned the “one-size-fits-all plan” and criticized the lack of substantive debate and reported backroom deals forged to secure votes. Yesterday, he suggested instead that states individually work with Washington on ways to improve their own health care programs.
Coakley’s loss has many Dems pointing fingers
Following Martha Coakley’s loss, Democrats are struggling to interpret whether the race was lost in the Bay State or a referendum on Washington politics.
Maurice Cunningham, a political science professor at UMass-Boston, said there is plenty of blame to go around.
However, Cunningham dubbed her political future as “bleak” and expressed surprise at a report she would seek re-election for attorney general.
“This has to be an awfully difficult time for her. She’s pointed to the Senate seat for a long time. I don’t know if there’s a consolation prize,” he said.
