Scott Brown stop gives boost to Leonard campaign

Scott Brown, left, stumping for Rochester mayoral candidate Fred Leonard, middle, at Radloff's Cigar Shop on Saturday. (Harrison Thorp photo)

ROCHESTER - Former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown touted mayoral candidate Fred Leonard’s business and legislative savvy during a stop in downtown Rochester on Saturday.

The former congressman from Massachusetts, Army National Guard JAG counsel and book author also praised Leonard’s service in the military and said he was a consensus builder and still has contacts in the state legislature where he served one term.

Brown, who owns a house in Rye, N.H., made no mention of his own political aspirations, but it is well known that he is eyeing the U.S. Senate seat now occupied by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., as well as a possible presidential run in 2016.

Brown, known chiefly as a moderate Republican, recently set up a PAC in New Hampshire and donated $10,000 to the Granite State Republican Party.

He met with Leonard and a group of voters and other Rochester candidates at a cigar bar on North Main Street and also signed copies of his book Against All Odds, donating a portion of his book sales to Leonard’s campaign.

A group of young people hoisted candidate signs on the sidewalk outside, while gatherers inside enjoyed coffee and doughnuts and talked of Leonard’s chances against the incumbent.

Leonard, who is in the midst of a hard-fought campaign with incumbent Rochester Mayor T.J. Jean, was joined by City Council candidates Ted Kaczynski and David Cope at the morning event.

Brown acknowledged that the race against Jean was tight, but said it isn’t over till it’s over.

“I know I’ve won an election by 343 votes in a very contested state Senate election and it only takes one (more) vote to win an election, just 50 percent plus one,” Brown said. “I’m here for Fred … We want everyone to know it’s not over until 7 o’clock on Nov. 5.”

He urged Leonard and other candidates to keep working getting out the vote straight up to Election Day.

Brown, meanwhile will continue to assess his chances against Shaheen, whom he trailed by just 4 percentage points as a Senate race contender in a recent poll.