Brown Wins GOP Nomination to Try to Oust Shaheen

Former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown decisively beat two challengers to win the GOP nomination for New Hampshire’s Senate race.

Brown got 50 percent of the vote compared to 23 percent each for former New Hampshire state Sen. Jim Rubens and former New Hampshire Sen. Bob Smith, with 91 percent of precincts reporting.

Advertisement

Some conservative groups had endorsed Rubens, arguing Brown was too centrist to take on Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.).

Shaheen started out with a double-digit lead over Brown in the polls, but that has narrowed to a Real Clear Politics average of 5.4 points.

“We worked hard to get this far, and we’re only halfway there.  Now I am ready to work even harder to earn the vote and win on the fourth of November,” Brown told supporters Tuesday night in Concord.

“Whatever comes next on the Obama agenda, whatever Team Obama asks of Senator Shaheen, there’s a 99 percent chance that she’ll vote yes. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like those odds,” he continued.

“Here’s how I look at it. Just because she’s been throwing her vote away in the Senate, does not mean you have to throw your vote away in November. President Obama is not up for reelection this year… however, his No. 1 foot soldier Senator Shaheen is. New Hampshire voters have a unique chance to be a check and balance on six years of failed policies. If we’re ever going to hold this president accountable, we have to hold this senator accountable. The chance won’t come again, so let’s take it right now and turn this country around.”

Brown promised to be a “vote for the independent spirit of our state 100 percent of the time.”

He noted that he submitted a bill to yank the citizenship and passports of Americans who join jihad — an idea introduced by some senators this week in response to citizens fighting abroad for ISIS — back when he was in the Senate.

Advertisement

“The president has been slow to move, and so far his foreign policy has been unsteady and incoherent. And how about we start with those American jihadists and their American passports?” Brown said.

“All of these jihadists need to be dealt with where they are. If it’s going to happen at all, then America has to lead. And for America to lead we need to stop all the careless cutting in defense, and start rebuilding the military power of this country.”

Shaheen made clear in her remarks Tuesday night that she’ll try as much as possible to pin the carpetbagger label on Brown.

“I didn’t just move here. I’ve been here, working to make a difference for New Hampshire. No matter where Scott Brown lives, he’s going to put Scott Brown first. Not you. Not your family. Not New Hampshire,” Shaheen told supporters.

“The fact is Scott Brown may have changed his address but he hasn’t changed his stripes. New Hampshire is not a consolation prize.”

On Friday, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) will endorse Brown at a unity rally in Durham.

Recommended

Trending on PJ Media Videos

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Advertisement
Advertisement