Politics & Government

Scott Brown Lands First Official Endorsement

Sen. Nancy Stiles, who counts Brown as one of her constituents, endorsed him Friday.

Scott Brown celebrated his first official endorsement in his race to capture the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in New Hampshire. State Sen. Nancy Stiles, R-Hampton, endorsed Brown on May 2.

"You actually get it – you get it," Stiles said at the Carriage House Restaurant in Rye, Brown's hometown.

Stiles began her remarks by mentioning she learned she also has a primary on Sept. 9, to which Brown said, "It's ok – nothing wrong with a primary."

Brown is one of five candidates in the Republican field. Jim Rubens, Bob Smith, Karen Testerman and Andy Martin are running for the chance to line up against U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., in November.

Stiles said Washington needs a "common-sense voice," and she says Brown is that voice.

Brown said it was his first official endorsement, but he has some establishment names behind him already, notably former Gov. John H. Sununu.

At the Rye campaign stop, Brown spoke of his family ties to the Seacoast of New Hampshire, including vacation time in Rye. He quickly launched into a criticism of Shaheen as voting with President Obama 99 percent of the time and being the deciding vote on passage of the Affordable Care Act.

Brown said "Obamacare" will impact businesses, and that the brunt of that impact won't occur until after the election. He said as he campaigns around the state he hears concerns about the health care law, and not concerns about his residency, as a newer Massachusetts transplant.

"She has voted for every tax increase," he said.

Brown called himself a fiscal conservative, "a national security hawk, on the social issues, I keep an open mind and treat everybody with dignity and respect and make a decision based on consensus." He said America is a consensus-society.

"I'm a problem-solver," Brown said. "If you want an ideologue, I'm not your guy."


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