Scott Brown got elected--a liberal Republican from a very, very liberal state. He overcame a 20 point deficit in less than a month, which is fairly unprecedented in politics ("Dewey Defeats Truman"-esque). But he owes his meteoric rise from sacrificial lamb to US Senator to one of the Bay State's favorite sons, a politician with the golden touch.
No, not one of the Kennedys. Mitt Romney.
Romney believed in Brown before any one else. He leant Brown credibility by endorsing him early on. Then he leant his considerable organizational skills to the Brown campaign, believed in him through the early dark days of polling, helped him raise money--and he did all of this while not stealing the spotlight from Brown (unlike what Obama stole from Coakley).
Some believed that Brown ran away from Romney's legacy as Mass. governor, owing to the fact Romney championed and passed the Mass. version of universal health care. Nothing could be further from the truth. In his victory speech, Brown said:
I’m grateful to all those from across Massachusetts who came through for me even when I was a long shot. I especially thank a friend who was there with encouragement from the very beginning, and helped show us the way to victory - former Governor Mitt Romney.
I am an unabashed Romney fan. I believe that he would make a wonderful President. And, with his help, Scott Brown has just proved that a Republican can win in the liberal Northeast. Brown, however, is returning the favor.
Because of Brown's win, Romney should be the GOP front runner for President in 2012.
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