Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe endorsed her Massachusetts colleague, Scott Brown, for re-election today, calling the Republican an important independent voice in a U.S. Senate rife with partisanship.
“In an institution characterized by gridlock and partisanship, Scott Brown is a much-needed breath of fresh air,” the GOP moderate said of Brown, who is expected to face likely Democratic nominee Elizabeth Warren in the November election. “During the last two years, I have worked closely with Scott and have come to appreciate his independent spirit and bipartisan outlook.”
Snowe, who announced her retirement last week, said in the statement reported by
the Boston Globe that Brown, like her, “approaches each issue with an open mind and is always willing to reach across the aisle to build bridges and find common ground.”
Her endorsement was in line with what Brown has been stressing to Massachusetts voters since he won the 2010 special election to replace the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy. The Globe said Snowe’s support could help Brown “bolster his pitch as a moderate Republican willing to work across party lines.”
In a statement of his own, Brown promised to live up to Snowe’s example as a lawmaker who prefers “bridge building over rock throwing.”
“I’m committed to honoring her legacy by finding common purpose with anyone of goodwill, regardless of party, to address the serious challenges facing our nation,” he said.
© 2013 Newsmax. All rights reserved.