{Courtesy of The Patriot Caucus}

Republican Scott Brown has become increasingly visible on the national political scene over the past few weeks. As the January 19th special election to replace Sen. Ted Kennedy draws near, Democrat Martha Coakley’s lead has slipped from double to single digits among several polls. A January 4th Rasmussen IVR poll has shown Brown within 9 points of Coakley as the survey of 500 likely voters, gave Coakley a 50%-41% lead.

With ten days to go, can Brown win the seat held for years by Kennedy in the most Democratic state in the country? The Democrats do not consider it a possibility, but many Republicans are hoping for a “Massachusetts Miracle.”

Like many states, Massachusetts is facing internal difficulties. Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick leads the state with a style that has not set well with many people and he has successfully led the state to increase its sales tax. Other Democrats, including the state House Speaker, have resigned from the state legislature over the past year as a result of scandal, giving voters the impression that they are out of control.

It is in this scenario that Brown has narrowed the margin between himself and Coakley. Will it be enough to close the final margin by January 19th? While the Republicans would like to think so, it will be very difficult. First of all, it is a special election where voter turnouts are historically low. Secondly, Massachusetts voters tend to get angry at individual politicians. Finally, Coakley has avoided making risky statements in her campaign that would alienate the voters. She is very popular with women and independents.

On Brown’s side, he does have momentum flowing in his favor, he has done very well in his fund-raising efforts and he is fiscally conservative. Throughout his campaign he has not been shy about denouncing the current administration’s financial and international policies.

This is a race that the Republican Party decided not to become heavily involved in. With decreasing donations and resources, the party is focusing on races where they are “for sure” in the running. The reason for making note of this is that Brown has closed the gap in the polls without the “committed backing” of the Republican Party. One has to believe that grassroots conservatives have played a key role indirectly through the attention they have brought to the liberal agenda of the current administration and the hope that they have brought back to the American people through their activism.

While Coakley is still fully expected to take the win, it is no longer a “certain” victory. Ultimately, it comes down to the voters on the side of life, liberty and freedom. We must keep our hands to the plow and never look back. Many Americans are listening to the voices of the grassroots movement and as the recent polls reveal, independent voters are hearing us.

Yours for liberty,
Tye (Mitch)