Politics & Government

Scott Brown Nears Big Decision

Brown: 'I'll put my Republican credentials up against anybody.' But will it be 2014?

SALEM, N.H. – Former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) said he might make a decision on his political future around Labor Day. He offered nothing, though, on whether it might be in Massachusetts, possibly for governor, or in New Hampshire, possibly challenging U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).

Brown did deliver a few zings at Shaheen–without mentioning her by name–during a speech Friday night at the Derry-Salem Elks Lodge for a fund-raiser for first-term state Rep. Joe Sweeney (R-Salem).

"She's voted for more regulations than any senator I knew up there to impose on businesses and individuals," Brown said.

He also criticized the Affordable Care Act. "I didn't vote for it," he said, "your senator voted for it."

Brown, who owns a house in Rye, N.H., has made a handful of speeches in New Hampshire since spring, when he told reporters that he was not ruling out anything from his political future. The will-he-or-won't-he narrative took root, even in some sandy soil: That Brown is not even a resident, and yet absorbed some much press attention, was an early indicator of the short bench of possible Republicans to challenge Shaheen in 2014.

Currently, former state Sen. Jim Rubens (R-Hanover) is exploring a run for U.S. Senate. And conservative Karen Testerman of Concord just filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission for a possible run.

Even if he is not a candidate in 2014, Brown suggested he would continue to upbraid Shaheen and Democrats through his many speeches and as a commentator on radio and TV.

"I don't think I'm done," Brown told reporters Aug. 9. "I just don't know at this point where I'm going to fit in."

Brown accepted Sweeney's invitation to speak, he said, because he is impressed by his energy and service. Sweeney, 19, is a first-term member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives. The event, where state Sen. Chuck Morse of Salem also spoke, was called the "Restoring Trust in Government Dinner."

Sweeney first ran for office on a similar theme and he, along with most of the Salem legislative delegation, worked hard to pass a casino gambling bill in New Hampshire. He promises to continue the fight. Like many elected leaders, he also is focused on 2016. That's the year he hopes to graduate from the University of New Hampshire.


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