NEW: Brown: “We’re in Deep Trouble and We Need to Work Together”

Thursday, September 06, 2012

Adam Joseph Drici, GoLocalWorcester Contributor

Senator Scott Brown with Worcester City Councilor Konnie Lukes.

Republican Senator Scott Brown met with supporters and small business owners at Absolute Machinery, Inc. in Worcester on Thursday to talk about their concerns for the future of both Washington and the economy.

Former Democratic Mayor and current City Councilor Konstantina Lukes was also on hand to voice her continued support for the Republican Senator's reelection efforts.

Brown stopped in Worcester after spending the morning in Western Mass, where he picked up the endorsement of another Democratic former mayor, Springfield's Charlie Ryan.

"They're supporting me down there because I'm doing exactly what what I said I was going to do," Brown said in reference to the growing number of Democrats who are crossing the aisle to vote for him this November.

The Senator reiterated his willingness to work with all comers, once again touting his reputation as the second-most bipartisan legislator in the Senate.

Brown also took the opportunity to contrast his political approach with that of his opponent, Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren.

"Apparently she thinks she's running against Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan," he said.

"She wants to leave blood and teeth on the floor and not compromise."

The crowd of over 30 people, mostly local business leaders, listened as Brown ran through the list of burdens, from high healthcare costs to high taxes, that small business owners have been saddled with.

Founding partners Nate Smith and Michael Ortolano formed Absolute Machinery back in 2000, selling new and used plastic injection molding equipment. Since then, the Worcester company has expanded to 35 employees, opened additional facilities in Massachusetts and Ohio, and spawned several new companies, including Absolute Green Energy.

Smith said Brown's record as an independent voice in the Senate, focused on getting things done instead of politics as usual, sends a message that resonates with a lot of business owners.

"We need to have the government stay off our backs," he said.

Ortolano said that much of the recent trouble in Washington stems from politicians losing sight of who they are really working for.

"The parties think they're more important than the country."

Brown's brief address on Thursday may not have had as large an audience as former President Bill Clinton's speech the night before, but he hit on a similar message.

"We're Americans first," he said.

"And we're in deep trouble, and we need to work together."