Scott Brown fails to make carpetbagging cool again

Scott Brown is rolling up his carpet again.

The former Massachusetts senator came up short against New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D) in one of a handful of Democratic victories in a night dominated by Republicans. If Brown had won, he would have become the first person elected to the Senate by multiple states since the 19th century.

Apparently carpetbagging wasn’t endearing to New Hampshire voters. More than half said Brown has not lived in the Granite State long enough to represent them effectively, according to exit polls.

Fusion went to New Hampshire in late October to see if Brown’s state-switching would hurt him at the polls.

Carpetbagging wasn’t the only factor that hurt Brown. More New Hampshire voters were upset with Republican leaders in Congress (67 percent) than with President Obama (57 percent), exit polls said. So his party affiliation didn’t help, either.

Will this be the end of Brown’s U-Haul political career? It doesn’t have to be: a Senate seat in Connecticut will be up for grabs in 2016, and we hear they’re friendly to newcomers.

Jordan Fabian is Fusion’s politics editor, writing about campaigns, Congress, immigration, and more. When he’s not working, you can find him at the ice rink or at home with his wife, Melissa.