9% of the vote.1 Scott Brown's election to the US Senate was shocking to many political commentators, primarily because of the typically Democratic electorate base that exists in Massachusetts. Brown had campaigned partly on the promise that he would work across the aisle with Republicans and Democrats, and capitalized on a seemingly dull, taken-for-granted campaign run by Massachusetts Democrats and Martha Coakley. However, less than a week following his election, he vowed that he would, "be the 41st vote and not the 60th " in regards to his intention to aid the Republican Senate minority's efforts to block passage of the Affordable Care Act.2 Almost instantly, many Massachusetts voters were up in arms against their newly elected representative, while Massachusetts Democrats pledged to put forward a strong candidate against Senator Brown in 2012. As time passed, the presidential election was expediently ushered into the spotlight, with former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney eventually becoming the Republican nominee. While President Obama enjoyed an approval rating of 60% in the state, former Governor Romney was viewed favorably by only 35% of the electorate.3 .

             After months of speculation, the Massachusetts Democratic Party nominated consumer protection guru and Harvard Law Professor Elizabeth Warren to run against Senator Brown. As a candidate, Warren came with prior national celebrity status due to her nomination by President Obama to head the newly created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. She was widely viewed as a "liberal rock star ", and was a self-proclaimed "champion for the middle class. If anyone was capable of energizing the Democratic Party base in Massachusetts, and across the nation, it was Elizabeth Warren.

             .

             Approximately 600 miles south of Massachusetts, another highly competitive US Senate race was brewing in Virginia. Incumbent Democratic Senator Jim Webb announced in February 2011 that he intended on retiring after having served one term in the Senate.