In a victory speech in Boston tonight, Sen-Elect Scott Brown (R-MA) declared that he’s “ready to go to Washington without delay” after winning a special election for the late Sen. Ted Kennedy’s senate seat that was considered a sure Democratic victory just a few weeks ago.
With 98% percent of the precincts reporting, Brown leads Democrat Martha Coakley 52-47.
During his speech, the crowd chanted “41” — referring to Brown’s new place as the critical 41st member of the Senate’s Republican caucus — and later, “seat him now.”
“The voters of this commonwealth defied the odds and the experts,” Brown declared triumphantly. “Tonight, the independent majority has delivered a great victory.”
They thought that they owned your vote. They thought that they couldn’t lose. But tonight you and you and you and you and you — you all set them straight.
The Republican also gave a shout out to the late Sen. Kennedy.
“Sen. Ted Kennedy was a tireless worker and a big-hearted public servant,” Brown said.
There’s no replacing a man like that. But tonight I honor the memory and I pledge to be the very best and try to be a worthy successor to the late Sen. Kennedy.
But it wasn’t all serious. At one point, Brown declared that his daughters were both “available.”
“And just in case anybody who’s watching throughout the country — yes they’re both available,” Brown said, his family looking at least a little embarrassed.
“Only kidding, only kidding,” Brown said, before adding, “I can see I’m gonna get in trouble when I get home.”
The Republican also issued a challenge to the president, saying that when the two spoke earlier, Brown challenged Obama to a two-on-two game of basketball: Brown and his daughter versus Obama and his choice of teammate.
“We had a nice laugh,” Brown said of his chat with Obama.
Brown also promised that he’d get to work as soon as possible, declaring that “I’m ready to go to Washington without delay” and that interim Sen. Paul Kirk (D-MA) “welcomes me as soon as I can get there.”
Read Brown’s whole speech, as prepared for delivery, here.
And here’s some video highlights:
