With congressional Democrats across the state regrouping after Scott Brown's surprise U.S. Senate victory — and many across the country bracing for what could be difficult midterm elections in November — Congressman John Tierney is showing little signs of concern.
When Bill Hudak, who has been running a campaign to unseat Tierney since July, vowed to take up Brown's mantle and described his opponent as a "rubber stamp" in the Democratic party machine, Tierney declined to respond to the attack or discuss last Tuesday's Republican victory.
"I look forward to working with Senator-elect Brown. In the Commonwealth we are lucky enough to have an experienced delegation with a diverse background of legislative specialties," Tierney said in a statement responding to a request to discuss the election.
"There's a long time between now and November, and I am going to spend that time doing what I always do — focusing on constituent concerns and key legislative priorities," Tierney's statement continued.
As far as Hudak is concerned, Tierney has barely acknowledged him, even when the subject turns to Hudak admitting on Friday that he had claimed Brown's endorsement without Brown actually having granted it.
A Tierney spokeswoman Friday said the endorsement dispute was between Brown and Hudak.
For established Democrats facing relatively obscure Republican challengers, the decision to engage a little-known opponent and risk elevating their stature is balanced against the risk of seeming "out of touch" if you ignore them and the campaign.
Tierney has not been seriously threatened in recent elections and the populist outrage that carried Brown over Coakley, who had been considered a shoe-in, could always ebb between now and November. And the incumbent's opponent could always stumble again.
Hudak had to spend time Friday retracting the endorsement after admitting that his campaign had interpreted Brown's verbal support as an endorsement.
So far, Tierney appears to be following the Democratic playbook of other Democrats in Washington, a focus on populist, pro-consumer, anti-Wall Street proposals.
In Tierney's case, that would include a proposed bill that would cap credit card interest rates at 16 percent. He also endorsed, in his statement this week, efforts that would "rein in banks who made risky investments with our money."
Tierney has come under fire over the last month for his support of a $465 million jet engine program that the project's critics — including President Obama — have decried as unnecessary.
The approved dollars continue General Electric's development of an alternate engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jet and likely protects jobs at the company's Lynn plant. And Tierney was joined by Sen. John Kerry in successfully pushing for the money to be part of the 2010 Defense Appropriations Bill.
The vote drew criticism from Hudak, who, in a Jan. 4 letter to the Times, said that Tierney had ironically voted correctly in choosing to back the jet engine program, but did so for the wrong reasons.
"The issue here is that Congressman Tierney is a bit hypocritical," Hudak said at the time. "He is clearly anti-defense spending unless it suits his own selfish needs ... Shameful to say the least.
Tierney, however, defended his vote.
"This isn't just local politics and parochialism," Tierney said, adding that keeping the program is "in the interest of national security."
As for his re-election, however, Tierney's office said only that, when the time for campaigning comes, the congressman will do it "vigorously."
Patrick Anderson can be reached at 978-283-7000, x3455, or via e-mail at panderson@gloucestertimes.com
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