Scott Brown (politician)

Scott Brown
Official portrait, 2017
United States Ambassador to New Zealand
In office
June 28, 2017 – December 20, 2020
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byMark Gilbert
Succeeded byTom Udall
United States Ambassador to Samoa
In office
July 27, 2017 – December 20, 2020
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byMark Gilbert
Succeeded byTom Udall
United States Senator
from Massachusetts
In office
February 4, 2010 – January 3, 2013
Preceded byPaul G. Kirk
Succeeded byElizabeth Warren
Member of the Massachusetts Senate
from the Norfolk, Bristol, and Middlesex district
In office
March 25, 2004 – February 4, 2010
Preceded byCheryl Jacques
Succeeded byRichard Ross
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
from the 9th Norfolk district
In office
January 7, 1999 – March 25, 2004
Preceded byJo Ann Sprague
Succeeded byRichard Ross
Personal details
Born
Scott Philip Brown

(1959-09-12) September 12, 1959
Kittery, Maine, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Gail Huff
(m. 1986)
Children2, including Ayla
EducationTufts University (BA)
Boston College (JD)
Signature
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/service
Years of service1979–2014
RankColonel
UnitJudge Advocate General's Corps
Army National Guard
AwardsArmy Commendation Medal with 4 oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters)
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with silver hourglass device)
National Defense Service Medal (with bronze service star)
Army Achievement Medal (with 2 oak leaf clusters)
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

Scott Philip Brown (born September 12, 1959) is an American diplomat, attorney, and politician. He served as the United States ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa from 2017 to 2020 and as a United States senator from Massachusetts from 2010 to 2013. Brown was the 2014 Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in New Hampshire, and is seeking election to the same office in 2026.

Before his Senate tenure, Brown served as a member of the Massachusetts General Court, first in the State House of Representatives from 1998 to 2004 and then in the State Senate from 2004 to 2010. Brown served in the Army National Guard for 35 years, retiring with the rank of colonel in 2014 and receiving the Legion of Merit medal and the Maryland Distinguished Service Cross.[1]

In 2010, Brown faced Democratic candidate Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley in a special election which occurred after the 2009 death of longtime Senator Ted Kennedy. While initially trailing Coakley by a large margin, Brown saw a sudden late surge and posted a come-from-behind win to become the first Republican elected to the U.S. Senate from Massachusetts since Edward Brooke in 1972. Brown ran for a full Senate term in 2012, but lost to Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren. After his defeat, Brown joined the board of directors of Kadant paper company, joined Fox News as a commentator, and joined Nixon Peabody where he provided legal services.[2][3][4]

After moving back to his childhood home of New Hampshire, Brown campaigned for the U.S. Senate from New Hampshire in the 2014 election. Brown won the Republican nomination by a significant margin, but was narrowly defeated by incumbent Democrat Jeanne Shaheen in the general election.[5] In 2017, Brown was nominated by President Donald Trump and confirmed by the United States Senate as U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa by a 94 to 4 vote.[6][7][8][9][10] Brown served as U.S. Ambassador from June 2017 through December 2020.

From January to August 2021, Brown served as dean of New England Law Boston, a private law school. In April 2022, he became head of The Competitiveness Coalition, a conservative coalition group.[11]

  1. ^ "Brown retires from Reserves". Politico. May 13, 2014.
  2. ^ Rizzuto, Robert; Schoenberg, Shira (February 6, 2013). "Scott Brown joins Kadant paper company board of directors". MassLive. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  3. ^ Hinckley, David (February 13, 2013). "Scott Brown, former Massachusetts senator, joins Fox News". NY Daily News. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Bump 9 Sept 2014 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Espo, David; Furlow, Robert (November 5, 2014). "Takeover: Republicans surge to control of Senate". USA Today. Associated Press.
  6. ^ Savransky, Rebecca (April 20, 2017). "Trump tapping Scott Brown to be New Zealand ambassador". The Hill. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  7. ^ Kaster, Carolyn (April 20, 2017). "Trump chooses Scott Brown to be ambassador to New Zealand". CBS News. Associated Press. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  8. ^ "Eight Nominations and One Withdrawal Sent to the Senate Today". White House. April 25, 2017. Archived from the original on April 25, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  9. ^ "Roll Call Vote PN141". United States Senate. June 8, 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  10. ^ "New US ambassador Scott Brown arrives in NZ starts ticking off bucket list". Stuff (Fairfax). June 25, 2017.
  11. ^ Oprysko, Caitlin (April 20, 2022). "Byrne registers to lobby". POLITICO. Retrieved April 21, 2022.