Massachusetts: This Brown’s For You!

‘Tis the day of the election
And all through my town,
I’m praying for a Senator,
His name is Scott Brown!

Today is the moment of truth. Today we find out if Massachusetts will send a second shot heard ’round the world, or, at least, heard ’round the nation. Millions of citizens have rallied, from local town hall meetings to Washington, DC. We’ve raised our voices, hoisted our homemade signs and thrown symbolic tea into our waterways, all while being called despicable, raunchy and crude names by the media lap dogs. However, despite the tricks and schemes of Pelosi, Reid, Obama, SEIU and closed-door compromises sans C-SPAN, current health care legislation hinges on this all-important vote: the Massachusetts Senate seat to replace the departed Ted Kennedy.

Yesterday afternoon we went to a rally outside the TD Garden. We got to shake hands with Scott Brown, speak with him briefly and have our pictures taken. (It’s not the first time I’ve heard Scott Brown speak but it was the first time I shook his hand as I didn’t have a cold this time!)

A Bruins game was about to begin inside the TD Garden which meant crowds dressed in yellow and black were drifting by us. One man said, to no one in particular, “Hey, is that Brown over there?” to which I replied, “Yeah, he’s shaking hands with everyone. You should go over and say hello” and off he went. There were chants of “Go, Scott, Go!” and “41st Vote!” but what struck me the most was the amount of smiles on people’s faces. Look, I’ve lived in Massachusetts long enough to know that smiles outside TD Garden (and its myriad of former names) only occur after a Celtics or Bruins victory. Perhaps that is what was in the air: a prelude to victory. We could almost taste it.

After the rally, Brown left for North Attleboro and we headed for our relaxing day in the city. As we turned to walk away, a reporter from the New York Daily News asked if we could answer a few questions. I read through their account of the Boston rally and we weren’t quoted. No surprises there as the article was pro-Coakley. The questions were what you’d expect:

Q: Why does Scott Brown have your support?
A: He has promised to be the 41st vote against the current health care reform bill.

Q: What do you think about a Republican winning Ted Kennedy’s seat?
A: It’s not Ted Kennedy’s seat. That’s not just a line, either. It’s the truth. This being the people’s seat has resonated with the state. Once they heard Scott Brown articulate that in the final debate, people began to say, “Yeah, that’s right! It’s our seat!”

Q: How do you feel about his chances?
A: We’re optimistic. The polls look good and he’s drawing large crowds.

Q: Why do you think Coakley is trailing?
A: For one, she took the Democrat vote for granted. She didn’t think she needed to work for it. Also, in the same vein, as you are probably aware, the majority of Massachusetts voters do not align with either major party. Independents like to be courted and they haven’t been courted by Coakley. Scott Brown has made a concerted effort to woo Independents over to his side.

Q: Do you think the people of Massachusetts will turn out for Coakley, though, because they want to do it for Obama, especially since he came to town yesterday?
A: No. (My husband and I were laughing as we said No and the reporter started chuckling as well.)

To many who are skeptical about Scott Brown and his conservative credentials, let me keep it simple for you. Our current struggle is to avoid government-run health care. As you can see from my prior entries, the health care debate is what started this blog and is the thread that runs through my posts. I am determined to do what I can to keep the current health care bill from passing. I’ve e-mailed my Senators and Congressmen but this is the one thing, as a resident of Massachusetts, that will actually get attention. I am voting for Scott Brown for the very reason I listed above: He has promised to vote against the current disastrous health care bill.

To those who think Scott Brown is the prototype for 2010 elections, quit wasting your ink. He is the best candidate for Massachusetts. He may not be the best candidate for the other 49 (or is it 56?) states. If I were back in my native South Carolina, I would want a fiscal and social conservative, like Jim DeMint. Jim DeMint is a fantastic Senator. He has served South Carolina well and continues to spearhead efforts to reduce the size of our federal government. As great as I think he is, he would likely have a difficult time winning a Republican primary in a New England state. This is the beauty of state elections. Each state gets to choose the candidate that best fits their needs, their values and their priorities.

Massachusetts, this Brown’s for you! Cast your vote for Scott Brown to send a message to Washington that even the most stubborn amongst them would be hard-pressed to ignore. What’s at stake is immeasurable: our freedom to choose our doctor, make our own decisions about treatment and the inalienable right to pursue life.

That’s why, for this state senatorial election, I join in unison with fellow Scott Brown supporters to say:
Go, Scott, Go!
Go, Scott, Go!
Go, Scott, Go!

UPDATE I: Follow Hot Air’s ongoing election coverage here and tune in to local radio (www.wrko.com or www.wtkk.com) for anecdotal coverage from local callers.

UPDATE II: Join us on Hot Air with the open thread for the election results!

UPDATE III: Scott Brown wins! Scott Brown is now the Senator-elect of Massachusetts! We’ll send him to DC with a big red bow on his GM truck. It’s rather fitting, then, that tomorrow is President Obama’s 1st year anniversary as president. Our gift to him is, of course, Scott Brown. To reflect a sentiment familiar with the First Lady, for the first time in my adult life, I am proud to be a Massachusetts resident.