Not Scott Brown
The second U.S. Senate debate in Massachusetts is
history, and the general consensus is that Gabriel Gomez tanked. Even the
Boston Herald's reporter (on the same day the
paper endorsed Gomez) had to
admit that their candidate came into the debate "woefully under prepared for any Western [Massachusetts] specific proposals.” Others pointed out that Gomez was
basically just
angry.
In between the peevishness, though, Gomez made a play for Democratic voters.
Perhaps the most surprising moments came when Gomez unexpectedly announced his support for two Democratic bills, one that would raise the federal minimum wage to $10 an hour and another that would ensure pay equity for women in the workplace. He embraced the bills as he scrambled to push back against Markey’s attempts to paint him as too far to the right for Massachusetts.
But on taxes, on an assault weapons ban, on the Keystone XL pipeline extension, and even on
Citizens United, Gomez was pure Republican. He was actually
Romneyesque in talking about the problems of being a rich guy. Turns out, Gomez is no Scott Brown, which is actually pretty faint praise for Brown.
Please contribute $3 to Ed Markey.