Yesterday, Scott Brown continued his campaign kickoff with stops across the Commonwealth in Worcester, Springfield & Pittsfield, meeting with voters, fielding questions and spreading his message of bipartisanship, independence and his ability to build bridges and find compromise. Brown also talked about his recently-signed “People’s Pledge” – calling it a victory for Massachusetts.
Highlights from the trail:
Brown started his day meeting voters at the Kenmore Diner in Worcester, where the Worcester Telegram & Gazette caught up with him over breakfast: Mr. Brown, wearing his well-recognized and weathered barn jacket, began his visit to Worcester with a stop at the Kenmore Diner on Franklin Street, where he greeted constituents and sat down to a breakfast of eggs, bacon, and hash browns. He spent some time chatting about the upcoming Super Bowl contest between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants with Kevin Casavoy, an Ashburnham resident who’s employed at Worcester Technical High School. “I like him because he votes with his head,” said Mr. Casavoy. “When he looks at a bill, he thinks about the people that he represents.”
- Brown also touched on his recently-signed “People’s Pledge,” calling it a “victory for Massachusetts: He said Massachusetts voters don’t deserve such ads and noted that he and Ms. Warren, a Harvard University law professor, are competent candidates capable of articulating their viewpoints and positions without plugs from partisan groups … “This agreement really is a victory for Massachusetts,” said Mr. Brown. “The voters deserve better.”
Next, Brown stopped at Milano’s in Springfield, a local business that was shut down by June’s tornado, but has since re-opened as the city continues rebuilding. The Springfield Republican covered the event: Unlike the last time Republican Sen. Scott Brown walked the streets of Springfield’s South End, a visit Wednesday afternoon was complimented by a row of busy independent businesses, bustling urban traffic and electricity. “Last time I was here, there was destruction everywhere,” Brown said as he entered Milano Importing to a crowd of reporters, voters and patrons. “Taking the tour of Springfield and seeing the devastation in different parts of the state – that is something I’ll never forget. The progress is unbelievable and it’s really a credit to the mayor and his team, the first responders. They all did a remarkable job.
The Springfield television stations also caught up with Brown and discussed the upcoming campaign, the ongoing tornado recovery and his People’s Pledge:
- WSHM: As Brown entered Milano’s Imports, a crowd of supporters, local business owners and officials greeted him at the door of the Main Street deli, which was forced out of business after the tornado struck. Brown was in Springfield in the days following the tornado, and he was here again Wednesday afternoon … Brown supporters inside Milano’s Imports tell CBS 3 they want the senator in Washington for another term. “Hopefully he is going to do it again,” says Longmeadow resident Sue Lemnios. “He is a very straight forward guy.” “He seems quite personable and believable and if you can trust someone I think that’s half the battle,” says Eva Stockhamer, a Brown supporter who works at Milano’s Imports.
- WGGB: Scott Brown came out right after the tornado and was back on Wednesday to see the progress being made and how Milano’s is back on its feet,” I used to work here on State Street and coming down that day and seeing the devastation in Springfield and then taking the tours and going through the ravaged parts of the state is really something I’ll never forget,” says Brown. And Senator Brown is impressed with this business’s ability to come back,” Just to come down this street and see the transformation in the short term is really a credit to Springfield, the mayor, and his team says Brown. Mlano’s Eva Stockhamer was pleased that Senator Brown chose this business to visit,” It’s wonderful, I think it’s great for him to come down, just to let people know that businesses are back on their feet,” says Stockhamer.
- WWLP: Senator Scott Brown and his chief democratic rival Elizabeth Warren signed an agreement that they hope will curb attack ads. Brown was in Worcester and Springfield Wednesday, then he wrapped up a day of campaigning here at the Ralph J. Froio Senior Center in Pittsfield. 22News was there as the Senator was meeting with seniors to talk about the issues and hear what’s on their minds.
Next stop was Pittsfield, where Brown spoke to voters at the Ralph J. Froio Senior Center in Pittsfield about the need for “problem solvers” in the Senate, and took their questions. The Berkshire Eagle reported: Addressing an audience of about 40 at the Ralph Froio Senior Center on North Street, Brown presented himself as a moderate Republican willing to break with his party. “It’s about the economy, deficit, taxes, spending, jobs and national security,” Brown said. “Those are the issues that matter the most to people.” Brown is running for election to a full term in the U.S. Senate. The Democrats are in the midst of a primary race that features Harvard law professor and consumer advocate Elizabeth Warren as the front-runner. “We need problem solvers and that’s what I’ve been doing,” he said. “I’m the most bipartisan person and the delegation and one of the most bipartisan, if not the most bipartisan person, in the entire United States Senate.”
IBerkshires.com headline: “Sen. Scott Brown Asserts His Independence At Pittsfield Stump”: U.S. Sen. Scott Brown is using his election campaign to assert his independence as one of the nation’s most bipartisan politicians. Brown kicked off campaigning last week and stopped in at the Ralph J. Froio Senior Center to meet with voters on Wednesday. There the Wrentham Republican assured voters in the heavily Democratic region that he is not a “rock thrower” and can work with Democrats. “I am doing exactly what I said I would do, which is to read the bills and see how they affect Massachusetts, our country, our debt and our deficit, and vote. I am the most bipartisan person in the delegations by at least 20, 25 points and probably one of the most in the entire United States Senate,” Brown said. “At a time when we need problem-solvers and not rock throwers, that’s a good thing.”
Albany’s YNN made the trip across the state line to Pittsfield and covered Brown’s remarks about bipartisanship and independence: With that, Brown answered voters’ questions, touting his bi-partisan style of governing as the right approach in a region that’s majority democrat. “I’m doing exactly what I said I was going to do, which is read the bills, understand them, see how they affect Massachusetts, our country, our debt and our deficit and vote,” he said … Brown officially kicked off his bid for reelection last week. Hoping, he says, to put an end to partisan bickering. “And at a time where we need problem solvers and not rock throwers, that’s a good thing,” he said.
