Scott Brown is mobbed by supporters on Main Street in Hyannis yesterday.

Hundreds greet Brown in Hyannis

By AARON GOUVIEA
agouveia@capecodonline.com
January 17, 2010

HYANNIS — The red, white and blue signs. Chants of "Yes We Can." People of all ages and races clamoring for one glance at the candidate.

It was state Sen. Scott Brown — not President Barack Obama — who received the rock star treatment yesterday in Hyannis, as several hundred supporters lined Main Street to cheer the Republican hopeful for the U.S. Senate on to victory against state Attorney General Martha Coakley.

The hefty turnout surprised some people, including police officers, as Main Street was down to one lane in spots and Brown supporters crowded in the street caused frequent traffic backups.

The crowd began forming around 1 p.m. and waited for almost two hours before Brown arrived, as the car horns continually honked in support of the Wrentham resident.

"This shows that people are tired of the same old, same old," said Priscilla Olson of West Dennis. "It sends the message that the ordinary citizen on the street is sick and tired of the political rhetoric."

People in the crowd were energized, shouting out "And this is the bluest state in the union," and "This is the start of a true revolution."

Brown has also managed to tap into the youth vote, as evidenced by members of the Nauset Young Republicans who attended yesterday's event.

Brandon Bausch, 17, joined Adria and Gillian Bridgwood, 17 and 16, all from Brewster, and said Brown has rallied young people on the Cape.

"If Scott Brown has the youth of Massachusetts, which is the most liberal state, it sends a message that things need to change," Bausch said.

Brown's bus pulled in front of Puff the Magic Dragon on Main Street at 2:45 p.m. He walked out to loud cheers and stood in the back of a pickup truck to address the crowd with a megaphone.

Brown criticized his Democratic challenger for her "vicious" attack ads and said he shares the same position on abortion as the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.

Although he said "Martha Coakley is now the politics of destruction," Brown thanked his supporters for turning what many thought would be a lopsided victory for Coakley into a close race.

"There's something happening here that's very special," Brown said.

Brown walked the length of Main Street, meeting and greeting supporters, before entering Tommy Doyle's Irish Pub.

Although the crowd was made up of mostly Cape residents, John Evans flew up from Houston, Texas, to support Brown.

And he was dressed as Uncle Sam.

"Years ago here in 1773, there was a party in the harbor and Massachusetts led the way for the whole country," Evans said, referring to the Boston Tea Party. "We're hoping we can do it again."

Coakley spent her day campaigning at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in Dorchester and then Melrose and the North Shore.

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