Shrewsbury Pols Support Scott Brown at Grafton Campaign Stop

Flanked by his wife, daughter, a comedian and the only senator considered more "bipartisan" than him, Scott Brown rallied at Olde Post Office Pub in Grafton Thursday.

Coming straight from Johnny Jack's in Milford, Brown made Grafton one of his stops on his cross-commonwealth bus tour: a final campaign push before the Nov. 6 election.

Among those in attendance were former state Rep. Karyn Polito, R-Shrewsbury, and state Rep. Matt Beaton, R-Shrewsbury.

The Republican U.S. senator, a Wrentham resident, is making a variety of scheduled stops throughout the week; his opponent, Elizabeth Warren, is focusing more on canvassing, sign-holding and other "get out the vote" efforts.

Standing in front of a "Women for Brown," sign, Brown spoke to a standing-room only crowd mid-day Thursday, urging supporters to spread his campaign messages and emphasizing job creation as the most important issue of the election.

The campaign pushed back against the so-called "War on Women," with U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican and the only U.S. senator considered more bipartisan than Brown, speaking out for her colleague.

"(The war on women) is a theme hatched in Washington that is being deployed in critical races across all states," Collins said.

"Every issue is a women's issue. It is insulting to women to imply that a narrow subset of issues are our concern."

Polito, a Shrewsbury Republican who worked alongside Brown when he was a state legislator, said she saw firsthand how Brown "didn't take the guidance of (party) leadership," but instead focused on what "the people he represented needed at that moment."

Comedian Lenny Clarke, known also as "Uncle Teddy" on Rescue Me, made his first visit ever to Grafton to rally for his longtime friend. He said he was familiar with the area, though, through fellow actor and Worcester native Denis Leary.

"He's too good of a senator to lose," Clarke said before the rally.

After leaving Grafton, the campaign bus departed for Framingham.