MA Senate Election - Republican Scott Brown Wins

[Swamp56]

I'm astounded that my state would actually elect a republican as a senator, seeing as it's one of the most liberal democratic states there is.

Republican Scott Brown has won Tuesday's special election for the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by liberal Democrat Ted Kennedy, CNN projects based on actual results.

Brown, a Massachusetts state senator, had 52 percent of the vote to 47 percent for state Attorney General Martha Coakley, the Democratic contender, with over 69 percent of precincts reporting in results from the National Election Pool, a consortium of media organizations including CNN. Independent candidate Joseph Kennedy, a libertarian who is not related to the Kennedy political family of Massachusetts, had 1 percent.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34923900...-capitol_hill/


Also, I will have this thread locked the second I see any political hate speech or insults to either the democratic or republican parties.

[Shevanel]

I think its a pretty interesting election. Lets see what he can do Perhaps a little balance is needed anyway. (that's always my political philosophy anyway)

[Swamp56]

Originally Posted by SurferDude420

I think its a pretty interesting election. Lets see what he can do Perhaps a little balance is needed anyway. (that's always my political philosophy anyway)

His election to the senate actually does strip the supermajority away from the democrats, and allows the republicans (if unified) to filibuster different democratic (if unified) legislation.

[Shevanel]

When I say balance, I meant being that MA has voted Democrat almost exclusively for how long now?

[olides84]

Didn't Massachusetts elect Mitt Romney as governor?

[Swamp56]

Originally Posted by olides84

Didn't Massachusetts elect Mitt Romney as governor?

Ya. Though, we haven't had a republican senator since the 1970's or so.

[olides84]

That's cause you kept one guy in the seat for 50-damn years!!! Whatever happened to new blood?

[Nodnarb]

I hadn't been following that race at all, but YIKES! I would assume Coakley was a huge favorite to win this?

Doesn't bode well for Democrats if one of the most liberal states in the country is electing Republicans...Still, even as a liberal I'm not terribly upset. I won't be the least bit sad to see Harry Reid lose in November either. Too bad they couldn't have done more with the 60-seat majority.

Ah well...good-bye Chet, and welcome back Governor Brandstad. Maybe 20 years of your rule will be enough...

[Shevanel]

Originally Posted by olides84

Didn't Massachusetts elect Mitt Romney as governor?

See then its things like this that make me wonder why they always call MA such a liberal state, it had quite its fair share of Republicans in office (on the Senate and in the Governor's position). I mean it makes sense to me, it being called a liberal state, but *shrug*

[olides84]

I also read somewhere that Massachusetts-ers (so what is the correct term ) are VERY reticent to elect a woman to statewide office. Do you find that true?

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by olides84

That's cause you kept one guy in the seat for 50-damn years!!! Whatever happened to new blood?

Well see Ted Kennedy was an exception to that because he had no blood in his body, just alcohol.

But anyway I voted for him because I can't stand watching healthcare reform being done in such a botched manner anymore. Plus this guy seems pretty nonthreatening to GLBT people saying that while he believes marriage is between a man and a woman, we have same-sex marriage legalized in the state and he feels that it's a settled issue that he doesn't wish to change. Good enough for me.

[Swamp56]

Originally Posted by olides84

I also read somewhere that Massachusetts-ers (so what is the correct term ) are VERY reticent to elect a woman to statewide office. Do you find that true?

No.

That's cause you kept one guy in the seat for 50-damn years!!! Whatever happened to new blood?

Massachusetts has a tendency to keep its officials for a long time. The mayor of Boston has been in office since the mid to late 1980's; so has Senator Kerry.

[Taylor]

So i'm not gonna lie, I"m absolutely furious that Scott Brown was elected. I love Massachusetts and it's extremely democratic and liberal reputation. Ted Kennedy was one of the greatest senators the US has ever seen, and his position and hard work is put to shame by the way voters decided to vote today.

To be honest, I think Martha Coakley kindof screwed herself though. She released far too many attack ads against scott brown near the end of the race and did not release enough positive ads for herself. It took a lot for me to find what the two candidates stood for, because I didnt have a lot of time during the year to pay attention to the race.

Absolutely one of the most annoying elections I have ever experienced...

[mmilam75]

Massachussetts is weird - they've had an all Democrat Congressional delegation for a really long time. The last time a Republican was elected to the Senate was in 1972 when Edward Brooke was elected to the Senate. Since that time, they usually elect Democrats in Congress and the Legislature while Republicans can win election to the statewide executive offices. I think this election was about the anger people feel over what President Obama has not done on the stuff that really matters - which is mainly the economy. Voters who are still feeling their job losses and who expected an improvement are starting to get tired of promises with no results. Even on the stuff I am progressive on, the White House and Congress under Pelosi and Reid have done little to nothing.

And I also think it's a good thing when neither side has a filibuster proof majority, forces them to work together. The large majorities Bush had during his first six years were why we didn't see more done in the way of cooperation between the two sides...hopefully, we'll see that now, but I'm not holding my breath.

One thing about this win - health care reform is DOA. If you're a moderate Democrat from Indiana, North Carolina or anywhere else in the south and the midwest, you have to look at these numbers and think that there is no way in hell I'd vote for the health care bill that the Senate passed. That's the real result of this - the election to replace Ted Kennedy's Senate seat may have killed health care reform once and for all.

Originally Posted by Phoenix

Well see Ted Kennedy was an exception to that because he had no blood in his body, just alcohol.

Best. Line. Ever.

[Owen]

So, this means we lost universal health care for the country because of a special election in the one state with universal health care. Working universal health care, I might add. It's things like these that make me consider drinking.

On the bright side, at least we'll stop getting so many of those automated messages now. Seriously, we were getting about a half-dozen each day. That's beyond excessive.

[EM68]

To be honest I voted for Brown. I struggled with it for a while since he belives that marrige is between a man and woman. However I did check his website that he feels it should be decided on a state level. For me it came down to healthcare. I did not like the way the bill was passed through Congress with closed door backroom deals. The bill is 2,000 page long and no one had a chance to read it before it was passed. Also for Coakly to say Schilling is a Yankee fan the she must be out of touch.

[Lexington]

I for one am extremely happy with the results of this election.

Lex

[mmilam75]

Originally Posted by Gamer am I

So, this means we lost universal health care for the country because of a special election in the one state with universal health care. Working universal health care, I might add. It's things like these that make me consider drinking.

On the bright side, at least we'll stop getting so many of those automated messages now. Seriously, we were getting about a half-dozen each day. That's beyond excessive.

The universal health care program in Massachussetts was actually put together by Mitt Romney if I recall correctly, wasn't it? But, yes, health care reform is DOA.

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As people can probably tell, I am progressive on GLBT issues, the environment and education. Health care? Not so much. So, let us all lift our glasses to a good night for the republic

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As people can probably tell, I am progressive on GLBT issues, the environment and education. Health care? Not so much. So, let us all lift our glasses to a good night for the republic

[Owen]

Originally Posted by mmilam75

The universal health care program in Massachussetts was actually put together by Mitt Romney if I recall correctly, wasn't it? But, yes, health care reform is DOA.

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As people can probably tell, I am progressive on GLBT issues, the environment and education. Health care? Not so much. So, let us all lift our glasses to a good night for the republic [COLOR="Silver"]

It's not the death of the health care bill that makes me want to start drinking, but the way it died, the sheer irony of it; and of course the fact that it represents that we are still a first-world country that leaves a great number of its citizens unable to get medical attention for basic things. But, that's another topic, and I won't discuss it here.

[Sicsemper79]

What the hell has the democratic party done for any of us? They spend money and claim that those of us who are responsible and successful are villains. They talk about gay rights and do NOTHING. I am ecstatic that the bastards are being held responsible for spending too much and accomplishing nothing.

These bastards (both parties BTW) need to be terrified that we are going to throw them all out. They are disgusting corrupt terrible aristocrats. Until I see someone who doesn't want to tax me to death and at the same time supports my right to live my life the way I want to live it, I am for their unceremonious exile from power and if they wont go... their overthrow. Screw 'em.