Scott Brown’s victory tonight is a political earthquake that will be felt throughout the country. This little-known Republican state senator defeated a large and powerful Democratic machine that has defined politics in the Bay State for the past 50 years. This race serves as notice to Washington Democrats who face reelection in just 10 months. The margin of victory that Brown achieved here in Massachusetts could be doubled in more contested states. However, it remains to be seen whether or not Democratic leadership will attempt to force through health care reform before Mr. Brown can be sworn into office. Pushing reform through the hard way will most certainly end the careers of many Democrats currently sitting in marginal seats. To these aims, the Dems may also attempt to delay the certification and swearing in of Mr. Brown. To his credit, Democratic Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin has indicated that he will not take part in any schemes to unnecessarily delay implementing the result of the election.
While the importance of Scott Brown’s victory on the national scene remains undecided, the importance of this election on local politics is most definitely earth-shattering. I have lived in Massachusetts all my life and I have never experienced the excitement and passion that this election has brought to the Commonwealth. This election is a turning point for local government: Massachusetts politics have been dominated by a corrupt Democratic spending machine. They spend on increasing bureaucracy and neglect the state’s crumbling infrastructure. Taxes go up yet there is never an appreciable change in the budget deficit. Today, Massachusetts voters recognized their power to stop the machine in its tracks, and in so doing have changed the local political landscape profoundly. But there is more work to be done, and voters must remember this night and take its momentum into the months ahead.
