Christie campaigned for Scott Brown in Watertown and Framingham, and stressed Brown's bipartisan credentials.
FRAMINGHAM — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Wednesday called Democratic Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren “part of the partisan liberal Democratic elite,” as he encouraged Massachusetts crowds to help re-elect Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown.
Christie, a popular Republican figure, was considered a potential 2012 presidential candidate, though he ultimately decided not to run. He delivered the keynote address at the Republican National Convention this year. In November 2009, he became the first Republican elected to statewide office in New Jersey in a dozen years – and he was inaugurated the night Brown was elected the first Republican senator from Massachusetts in decades.
“We have been connected ever since,” Christie said.
Though Christie is closely connected with his party, Christie said he and Brown are similar in their ability to get elected and work across party lines in Democratic-leaning states.
“I’m not up here just because Scott’s a Republican,” Christie said. “I’m up here more because he’s a problem solver.”
Christie said Brown will work with members of both parties and does not care about the “power of political parties” but about “the power of ideas that will put America back on track.” Christie also issued a strong denunciation of Warren, who he said, “won’t even look across the aisle, let alone reach across the aisle.” He said Warren will be part of “the most partisan part of the Democratic caucus in the United States Senate.”
Brown praised Christie as “somebody who understands what it’s like to tackle the budgetary problems we’re facing.”
Massachusetts Democratic Party spokesman Matt House responded that national Republicans are turning out for Brown in order to help Republicans take control of the U.S. Senate.
“Republicans from across the country are marching into Massachusetts because they know majority control of the Senate could be decided here,” House said. “National Republicans will do everything they can over the next two weeks to give Scott Brown the edge and their party the keys to the U.S. Senate, but voters won’t buy their agenda of choosing billionaires over the middle-class, rolling back women’s rights, and backing Wall Street over small businesses.”
The Warren campaign did not immediately respond to Christie’s comments.
Brown also recently campaigned with Arizona U.S. Sen. John McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, while Warren has campaigned with former Democratic U.S. Sen. Max Cleland of Georgia and U.S. Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota. Singer/Songwriter James Taylor is holding a concert benefiting Warren Wednesday evening.
With less than two weeks before the election, voters are turning out in larger numbers to hear the candidates speak. More than 150 supporters rallied outside the Aegean Restaurant in Watertown, and a standing-room-only crowd filled Ken’s Steak House in Framingham to hear Brown and Christie.
Brian Hoffman, a Woburn Republican who works as a manager in a Watertown company that sells reconditioned lab equipment, said he supports Brown because he is more conservative than Warren, and can reach across party lines. Hoffman said he respects Christie’s reputation as a governor who is known for taking on the unions in his state.
Christie signed into law a controversial reform of the teacher tenure system in New Jersey, and frequently butted heads with the teachers’ unions.
“(Christie) doesn’t care what people think. He seems to be pragmatic in his policies, and I like that he fights the unions,” Hoffman said.
Hoffman’s boss, Richard Epstein, an independent voter from Needham, said he supports Brown because he believes government should be smaller. He was interested to hear Christie, who he believes is “a great governor who helped get New Jersey’s finances in order.”