Republican Scott Brown Wins MA Special Election

Posted by Josh Harrison , Jan, 2010 @ 2:03 pm

In a race that earned national attention, Republican Scott Brown has secured the Massachusetts Senate seat once occupied by Edward Kennedy:

Brown defeated Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, the Democratic candidate.

Brown’s victory made real the once unthinkable prospect of a Republican filling the seat held by Kennedy, known as the liberal lion, for almost 47 years until his death from brain cancer in August.

Voters across Massachusetts braved winter cold and snow for an election with high stakes — the domestic agenda of President Obama, including his priority of health care reform.

Brown’s victory strips Democrats of the 60-seat Senate supermajority needed to overcome GOP filibusters against future Senate action on a broad range of White House priorities. Senate Democrats needed all 60 votes in their caucus to pass the health care bill, and the loss of one seat imperils generating that support again for a compromise measure worked out with the House.

For me, the loss of the Democratic supermajority is only the most immediate implication of Brown’s unexpected win. As CNN explains, there are a handful of options available to health care proponents that would allow the bill to pass without allowing Brown to act in opposition. These detours all entail some measure of compromise, but may prove vital to the continued life of the bill. Keeping the current bill alive would, after all, be much easier than building a new base of support all over again–especially in light of upcoming midyear elections.

But even if the Democrats avail themselves of these possible alternatives, the public relations battle may already have been won. Many journalists and politicians, including, arguably, Coakley herself, were almost certain of a Democratic victory in the traditionally blue state. The ascent of Scott Brown to the national stage proved an unthinkable threat to an established order–and, at least on television, Coakley’s supporters responded with harsh criticisms linking Brown to everything from Congressional Republicans to Sarah Palin.

This strategy seems severe, if oddly familiar. The last time a relative unknown challenged an existing system before the entire nation was the 2008 election. Obama’s opponents were quick to tie the candidate to various radical groups and extremists in order to undermine his legitimacy as a potential leader. Now, on an admittedly smaller scale, it looks like the Democrats–the party with which I generally identify–may be making the same costly mistake.

It may be too early to tell whether accusations of voter fraud on the part of the Brown campaign are legitimate or not, but the speed with which they have crept into the media reminds me, albeit faintly, of the ‘birthers’ who questioned Obama’s citizenship.

Brown’s victory will be a setback for the health care bill, but its long-term effects might be even more dangerous for the Democratic Party. I hope that Democrats are willing to accept Brown as the people’s choice and a self-professed moderate. Keeping him at arm’s length will lend new life to the partisan struggle for health care reform. Although I don’t agree with all of Brown’s policies and, given the chance, would probably not have given him my vote, I am ready to believe he is the face of a new and revitalized conservative movement. I hope other Democrats will believe, as I do, that we need the support and approval of that movement in order to make progress on a national scale.

[Via CNN]

[Image Source: Flopping Aces]

Tags: Barack Obama, Democrats, Edward Kennedy, elections, health care reform, Martha Coakley, Republicans, Scott Brown