Cook: Brown Favorite to Win in Massachusetts

Leading political analyst Charlie Cook sent an unusual email Sunday to readers of his influential newsletter saying that Republican Scott Brown is now a slight favorite in the race to fill the seat of the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.

Cook sent the message just hours before President Barack Obama's appearance to help shore up support for Democratic state Attorney General Martha Coakley, Politico reported. Cook still added that the race could go either way.

"This past Thursday, Jan. 14, The Cook Political Report moved the open Massachusetts Senate seat rating from lean Democrat to toss-up, having moved it from solid Democrat to lean Democratic on Jan. 7," Cook wrote, Politico first reported. "We continue to see this race as very much of a toss-up, with Republican state Sen. Scott Brown holding onto a very narrow, single-digit lead over Democratic state Attorney General Martha Coakley.

"Given the vagaries of voter turnout, particularly in lower participation level special elections, this race could still go either way, but we put a finger on the scale for Brown. Last-minute Democratic attacks on Brown have driven his negatives up some and slightly diminished the incredible intensity of support that Brown enjoyed, but it looks more likely than not to hold."