Scott Brown Made History Tonight, but Not in the Way He Wanted

Impact

There's only one Scott Brown. And isn't that a shame for the Democrats.

The square-jawed, truck-loving former senator from Massachusetts has lost his carpet-bagging run for Democratic incumbent Sen. Jeanne Shaheen's job, with the Associated Press calling the race just 79 minutes after polls closed at 8 p.m. in New Hampshire.

And with that, Brown became the first ever national candidate to lose two straight Senate races to two different Democratic women. A particularly shambolic performance on a night when just about every meaningful race broke heavily in Republicans' favor. 

Jim Cole/AP

Brown swanned onto the national political scene by defeating Martha Coakley in a 2010 special election following the death of longtime Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy. 

Coakley, who failed to beat another uninspiring Republican in this year's Massachusetts governor's race, is not a very good politician. She failed to win an endorsement from the uber-liberal Boston Globe this year and, during her campaign against Brown, identified Boston Red Sox World Series hero Curt Schilling as "a Yankee fan."

But being a clumsy retail politician shouldn't disqualify one from seeking office. To say otherwise is almost as dumb as a partisan press declaring Brown a "star" for defeating Martha Coakley in a special election ahead of an even bigger Republican surge than we're seeing right now.

Tough, sure, but that doesn't mean it's all doom and gloom for Brown. Islamic State fighters are not coming across the border, which he suggested was imminent in a memorably heinous campaign ad. In fact, the friendly folks on Twitter offered some advice in an effort to raise his spirits:

So Brown has some options. Because there will always be options for guys like him. And that, on a night rightfully being described a "bloodbath" for the party, is one good reason for Democrats to smile.

Beep! Beep!