Scott Brown Not Running For Senate: Reports

WASHINGTON -- Former Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) will not run in the Massachusetts special election to replace John Kerry, multiple outlets reported Friday. The Senate confirmed Kerry as secretary of state Wednesday.

The conservative-leaning Boston Herald was the first to know that Scott wasn't running. "U are the first to know," he sent in a text message.

After losing to Elizabeth Warren in 2012, many speculated that Brown would run for the seat vacated by Kerry. Republicans made an all-out push to get him to run, because he easily would have been the strongest candidate against a Democrat. However, Brown would have had to run for reelection again in 2014 for a full term, meaning that he would have had four elections in four years.

Brown unleashed a flurry of incoherent text messages early Saturday morning aimed at his Twitter critics. "Your brilliant Matt," "Whatever," "Bqhatevwr," he tweeted.

The speculation for Brown goes to the 2014 gubernatorial race. Massachusetts voters have been more receptive to elect Republicans to state office than federal office, and Gov. Deval Patrick (D) has said that he will retire at the end of his term.

Brown's exit leaves the Republican bench for Senate wide open. Former Gov. Bill Weld (R) moved back to the state from New York, but the once-popular governor suffered a seven-point defeat to Kerry, then a senator, in 1996. Former Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey (R) hasn't ruled out a run, but she served with former Gov. Mitt Romney (R), who is tremendously unpopular in the state.

On the Democratic side, Reps. Stephen Lynch and Ed Markey are battling for the nomination. Markey has the backing of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and top Democrats in the state including Kerry, Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and Victoria Kennedy. Lynch is banking on support from organized labor to propel him to victory, despite being against abortion rights and voting against President Barack Obama's health care law.

The primary is April 30 and the general election is June 25.

This is a developing story.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/01/scott-brown-senate_n_2599612.html

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