Massachusetts Senate Race Turns Nasty

The Massachusetts Senate battle between Elizabeth Warren and Scott Brown had been a fairly cordial one—but lately, both candidates are changing the tone. Democrat Warren has been focusing on aligning Brown with fellow Republicans. A recent email to supporters notes that Brown doesn't stand "with the people of Massachusetts." Instead, he's on the side of "big money and his Republican buddies." Meanwhile, a new Brown ad relaunches controversy over Warren's heritage. The ad points to questions over whether she used claims of Native American heritage to advance her career, the Washington Post reports.

In her own ad, Warren responds, notes CNN: "Let me be clear. I never asked for or never got any benefit because of my heritage." Brown has been painting Warren as elite, emphasizing her academic background by calling her "Professor Warren" and highlighting her salary. He's also discussed her support for Travelers Insurance in a legal case on asbestos. In another blow to her consumer advocate image, the Boston Globe now reports that she backed LTV Steel as it opposed a federal effort to make it pay for retired miners' health care. "The true Elizabeth Warren is coming out," Brown said this weekend. (More Massachusetts stories.)