Letter to the Editor: Scott Brown Soliciting Democratic Votes in Mansfield

I just received a postcard from the Republican State Committee on behalf of US Senator Scott Brown. The humorous part about this is that I am a Democratic State Committee man being told by the Republican State Committee that I should vote for Scott Brown because he is really an Independent.

The Republican literature lists some votes that Senator Brown cast, probably to the dismay of the same party faithful who sponsor the postal advertisement, during his short tenure as Senator from Massachusetts.

These were votes that Scott Brown needed to take for his own political survival. They are a break from his further-right record as a State Senator when he represented an ultra-conservative district in an otherwise liberal state. People are arguing constantly, and will through Election Day, whether or not he is truly moderate and independent, or a conservative Republican.

What bothers me about this particular postcard is that it quotes three “Democrats” who support Scott Brown in order to mislead the rank and file Democrats that Brown is Independent. All three of these individuals have been off the reservation before. This is their right and I do not attack or question them for doing this, but please don’t insult my intelligence by suggesting that these are major defections.

Former Boston Mayor Ray Flynn supported many Republicans after being bitterly disappointed that he did not gain traction in an abandoned race for Governor and losing a Congressional Primary. In fact, he supported Scott Brown against Martha Coakley in the special election of 2009. He frequently supports Republicans over Democrats for President, including the re-election of President George W. Bush over our own US Senator John Kerry.

Former Bristol County District Attorney Paul Walsh supported Republican Paul Cellucci over Democrat Scott Harshbarger for Governor going back to 1998. This is part of the reason why many Democratic activists refused to vote for him again when he sought re-nomination as District Attorney but lost the primary to current DA Sam Sutter.

Former Worcester Mayor and current City Councillor Konnie Lukes has a long-standing record of supporting Republican candidates. She was voted off of the Worcester Democratic City Committee back in the 1990’s for her steadfast support of Republican candidates for Governor. Lukes lost a Democratic Primary for the state legislature; though her husband lost election as a Republican nominee for State Legislature. Her son got elected as a county official on the Republican ticket.

All three highlighted “Democrats” in the Republican solicitation for Brown lost nominations in party primaries. Why should the rank and file Democrats who rejected their candidacies and platforms now follow them in supporting a candidate for anything, leave alone US Senate?

They each have a right to their opinions and to express their opinions but let’s keep it in context: they have all been rejected by the party they portend to represent and each one of them has long-standing records of supporting Republicans.

Scott Brown should be ashamed by this misleading advertisement. This Democrat does not fall for it. I hope that other Democrats, as well as Independents and Republicans, reject this cynical gimmick.

Sincerely,

Joe Kaplan 
Mansfield, MA