Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) could drive his truck straight on to a second term in 2012.
A poll out this week from Wester New England College finds that a majority of registered voters in deep blue Massachusetts give Brown good marks on his job approval. In addition, Brown tops a couple of potential Democratic challengers in head-to-head matchups.
Fifty-seven percent of registered voters said they approve of Brown’s job performance, while only one-quarter said they disapproved. That’s even better than fellow Massachusetts Senator John Kerry’s approval rating; while 57% of voters also approved of Kerry’s job performance, a larger number, 34%, disapproved.
In hypothetical 2012 contests, Brown led Rep. Mike Capuano (D) 51% to 38%, and topped Elizabeth Warren — the Harvard professor and liberal favorite for her support of stricter financial regulation — by a comfortable 51% to 34%. And though Capuano and Warren don’t have Brown’s name recognition, that’s not the only reason he holds such strong leads on them. Over half of all respondents (52%) said Brown deserves to be reelected.
Brown’s strong standing in what is considered one of the most liberal states may come as a surprise. But after winning the special election in 2010 to replace the late Sen. Ted Kennedy by running on a campaign message of change and opposition to the health care law — Brown said he would be the 41st Republican Senator, thus blocking Democratic filibuster attempts — Brown has struck a centrist course. He was one of the few Republicans to break party ranks and vote to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, drawing the ire of conservatives, but likely winning some support from his constituents in Massachusetts, where gay marriage is legal.
The election is still almost two years away, but Brown is in good shape to hold onto his seat. Get ready for the reelection campaign: I’m Scott Brown, and I still drive a truck.
The WECN poll was conducted March 1-9 among 472 registered voters. It has a margin of error of 4.5%.
