Although labor unions are mobilizing across Massachusetts in support of Democrat Elizabeth Warren, the Republican incumbent Sen. Scott Brown landed a union endorsement of his own on Thursday.
Republican Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., smiles as he answers a question during a news conference where he was endorsed by the State Police Association of Massachusetts, SPAM, as well at the National Troopers Association as he campaigns for re-election in Boston, Tuesday Oct. 16, 2012. Brown is running against Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren., Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012. At rear is Brown's wife Gail Huff. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)WORCESTER - Although labor unions are mobilizing across Massachusetts in support of Democrat Elizabeth Warren, the Republican incumbent Sen. Scott Brown landed a union endorsement of his own on Thursday.
Carl Gentile, the former president of the Teamsters Local 170 in Worcester gave Brown a nod of support at an event in the city, as the senator warned that "union members across Massachusetts are the target of a middle class health care tax that Elizabeth Warren supports."
The tax Brown referred to has been dubbed the "Cadillac Tax," and is part of the president's Affordable Care Act. He has tied Warren to support of the tax for her support of the health care law.
The endorsement from Gentile comes a day after Brown sent out a fundraising letter critical of "big labor bosses" for allegedly fining members for not attending events on Warren's behalf, as one union member present in Springfield for the Senate race debate last week claimed.
Warren's campaign said that the Teamsters International union is among the more than a dozen labor groups already supporting Warren in the race and pointed to an event Warren held at the Teamsters Local 170 office in Worcester back in July.
Michael Hogan, secretary treasurer and principal officer for the Teamsters Local 170 said that Gentile is retired and "speaks for himself," while affirming the union's support for the Harvard Law School professor.
"Make no mistakes about it, our 4,000 members in Central Massachusetts whole-heartedly support Elizabeth Warren in this race," Hogan said in a phone interview. "We are confident that she is going to make a fantastic Democratic senator who will put the residents of Massachusetts first in Washington."
Brown was endorsed this week by former Mass. Gov. Paul Cellucci and the State Police Association of Massachusetts while Warren got a nod of support from singer Bruce Springsteen and former FDIC Chairwoman Sheila Bair, a Republican.