The victorious campaign of Scott Brown has sent an undeniable message to Washington. We here in Pembroke joined that call and gave Senator-elect Brown our support with 68 percent of the vote. No matter what spin the professionals put on this, voters in Massachusetts are not comfortable with the actions of this Congress, the way this health care bill has been pushed, or the money being spent or the deficits created by Congress. Voters reacted to what they believed was an arrogance and a supposition that the Democratic candidate would win, simply because she was a Democrat.

It was the pickup truck. It was the message that this is the people’s seat, and, yes, it was a message of lower taxation and better fiscal control. To my friends on the right, fiscal control is something we have not had in more than a decade in Washington. Scott Brown’s victory is the direct result of connecting with the people. He will be accountable for his judgments and his actions. It was a repudiation of the favoritism of special interest, of certain states over others, the divisiveness of party politics and, most important, the lack of transparency and listening in Congress.

Democrat, Republican or Independent — the voters in Pembroke and across this Commonwealth have sent a clear and indisputable message that the politics of Washington today must change, and accountability is being brought back to this system. This election was about the people, and the control they truly have in this process. Scott Brown won because he recognized that; he understood it was the people’s seat. He now needs to govern with that mentality, to contribute to the discussion in an independent and collaborative way. He is the first Republican senator-elect in almost four decades, and the small businesses, families and senior citizens in Pembroke will be better off as a result. He will bring a new viewpoint, and his very presence requires any health care reform to be better, cost less and be fair for all Americans – not just the anointed elite few. I believe it is the hope of the electorate that he will subject himself to the laws he creates.

As my new senator gasses up that truck to go to Washington, we in Pembroke and around this Commonwealth can feel hopeful that our decision on Jan. 19 may very well reshape the debate and the direction of this country. That is something all Democrats, Independents and even this F-150-driving Republican can feel good about.

— Patrick Chilcott