Mr. Moderate, who do you vote for in the special election?
Coakley, like the other 70% of my town. But only because I'm familiar with Brown's behind-the-scenes personality.
O rly? Don't leave us hanging Mr. M---dish away. What's Scott Brown really like away from the podium or riding his truck in campaign ads?
Not sure what Mr. Moderate is referring to exactly, but I will say he has something of a bad reputation on Beacon Hill. In a place with 5 Republican Senators(out of 40), where they are viewed as more of likable oddities than anything else, he tends to be viewed as something of a policy-lightweight and a bit of a jerk. He is also arguably the most conservative Republican socially in the state senate, at least on Gay Rights, and does not openly disassociate himself from the nuttier grassroots groups like everyone else.
That said, conservative by MA standards is not nationally rightwing. What is a "well some of my friends are gay, really" position like supporting civil unions and an Enda that includes sexual identification in addition to orientation are actually fairly liberal positions for a republican nationally. That de facto means he has voted against every gay rights, abortion rights, and "progressive" fiscal proposal that has ever come up since he entered office, only supporting hypothetically less liberal alternatives that were never on the table. Hence the unwillingness of many Massachusetts residents to give him a pass on being a "liberal republican" when he has big fat zeros from every interest group in the state.
Of course he just succeeded in doing something few MA legislators will ever do, move up, so who knows what motivates the dislike.
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