Elizabeth Warren supports former rival Scott Brown for VA secretary
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren is endorsing former rival Sen. Scott Brown to head the Department of Veterans Affairs in the Trump administration, should Donald Trump nominate him for the job.
“If Scott Brown is the nominee for Veterans Affairs, I have no doubt that he would put his heart and soul into trying to help veterans,” Warren said in an interview with Boston’s WGBH News Wednesday.
“And I would put my heart and soul into trying to help him do that. You bet I’d support him for that,” she added.
Brown touted his own resume and experience -- which includes more than 30 years in the National Guard -- to reporters outside of Trump Tower following a meeting with the president-elect on Monday. “I think I’m the best person but there are some tremendous people out there,” he said.
Their relationship has generally not been a warm one. In 2012 Warren defeated Brown in his Senate re-election bid. Brown won the seat in a 2010 special election held to fill the vacancy left by the death of Sen. Ted Kennedy. And when Brown ran against Jeanne Shaheen for New Hampshire’s senate seat, Warren quipped, it did not cross my mind that after beating Scott Brown, that what he would do is he would pack up his pickup truck and move to his vacation home in New Hampshire to become the candidate to run against Jeanne Shaheen.” During the presidential campaign, while she campaigned with Hillary Clinton, Brown suggested she should “take a DNA test” to prove her Native American ancestry.
Now, though, Brown made it clear he’s happy for her “kind words” and support.
Warren’s backing comes amid some reports that former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is being considered, but as CBS News’ Major Garrett reports, her consideration is largely “theoretical,” and not necessary serious, according to transition officials.
If he were to be appointed to the post, Brown said he would focus on lowering the suicide rate among veterans and expediting the process for treatment at VA hospitals across the country.
