Warren-Brown Race Finally Goes Negative

Elizabeth Warren and Scott Brown pledged to run a civil race in Massachusetts, and they've kept it remarkably free of negative attacks. Until now. Politico says Warren felt heavy pressure from Democratic leaders, including Chuck Schumer, to start hitting harder, leading to this week's ad calling out the GOP incumbent as a lackey of "big corporations." His campaign responded with an ad of its own accusing her of telling lies about him.

Earlier in the race, the safe money was on Brown being the first to go negative, "but in the great Bay State ad war parlor game, Warren blinked first," says Politico. The polls continue to show a tight race, but Warren trails among crucial independent voters, so it's not surprising that Democrats are getting antsy. After all, this race could decide control of the Senate next year. (More Elizabeth Warren stories.)