Republican Scott Brown beat Democrat Martha Coakley on Tuesday for the Massachusetts Senate seat that was held by the late Ted Kennedy.The GOP also won governor races in New Jersey and Virginia in November 2009. Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell won by a wide margin, 77-23 percent. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's victory was closer, 61-34 percent.
Mark Montini, a political consultant, said the Massachusetts vote reflected the American people's growing dissatisfaction with President Barack Obama and Congress.
"I don't think the message could be any clearer," he said. "The voters of Massachusetts, in this case representing probably most of America, have said that the Obama agenda has just gone way, way too far."
The Republican victory represented a huge swing in just 14 months.
Massachusetts was among the bluest of blue states in the 2008 elections. President Obama won by 26 points.
Brown, who won 52 percent of the vote, said he would vote against the Democrats' health care reform plan, which includes taxpayer-funded abortions. His vote would end the Democrats' filibuster-proof Senate majority. However, analysts said the Senate could try to rush the health care bill through before Brown gets to Washington, D.C.
