In Campaign's Final Days, Brown Stresses 'People Over Party'

Incumbent U.S. Sen. Scott Brown is barnstorming around the state in the final days of the campaign, touting himself as an independent voice — a slogan that is plastered across his campaign bus.

Brown kicked off a bus tour in Wakefield on Thursday.

Standing in the hall where he used to play basketball in middle school, Brown’s old coach introduced him to a crowd of about 200 people. Brown chose the town he grew up in for a get-out-the-vote rally and kickoff to a bus tour that will take him around the state over the next few days. He was joined on the stage by his family, his mother and old friends from Wakefield. His message in the remaining days of this campaign focused on the economy.

"This race is very simple," he said. "It’s not about the social issues, while they are important. This race is about something very simple — jobs and the economy. It’s about getting our kids jobs — 50 percent of them are unemployed. It’s about keeping you in your jobs."

Brown is a Republican, but he played up his bipartisan credentials, a message he asked his supporters to spread.

"Get everybody you know out to vote and let's send a very powerful message that it is people over party, that it is bipartisanship, it is problem-solving, it is financial stability, working on our debt, our deficits, our taxes, our spending, our jobs, our national security, and we need to do it together."

Brown was joined at the rally by Republican Richard Tisei, who is also from Wakefield. He’s in a competitive race to unseat Democratic 16-year incumbent U.S. Rep. John Tierney in the 6th district.

"How many of you think Scott Brown needs a little help in Washington?" Tisei asked to clapping. "Well, I hope to be down in Washington. I've known Scott for a long time and we are going to work hand in hand together to put this country back on track."

In the campaign's final days, Brown appears to be moving further away from the Republican party, pushing the message that his "independent voice" is more important than his political affiliation. Near the end of the rally Brown led the crowd in a chant: "People over party."