Brown on the campaign trail in WMass

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - The 2012 senate race is now well underway. One week after Senator Scott Brown launched his re-election campaign, the freshman GOP senator is making campaign stops here in western Massachusetts.

Senator Brown greeted voters Wednesday afternoon at the recently rebuilt Milano’s Imported Fine Foods in Springfield’s South End; one of many businesses that was heavily damaged in the June 1 tornado.

Following his appearance in Springfield, Brown is scheduled to visit a senior center in Pittsfield. The western Massachusetts visits come after a morning stop at a the Kenmore Diner in Worcester.

Brown, who in January of 2010 scored a massive upset by winning an election to the seat long held by Sen. Edward Kennedy, is in a tough fight for a six year term of his own. Polls show a close race between Brown and Democratic front-runner Elizabeth Warren.

Though the race is one of the nation's most watched, it may not be as vicious as some, as Brown and Warren have both signed a pledge to curb attack ads from third parties. Brown outlined the deal that would require candidates to pay half the cost of any third party ad that attacks the other candidate. That money would be donated to a charity of the "attacked candidate's" choice.

22News asked Brown Wednesday if it's realistic to imagine a campaign without third party attack ads.  "They can play, but if they do, they're going to harm the individual candidates, and that's not a good thing," Brown said.

22News asked the senator if he already has a charity in mind. He rattled off several, including the Alzheimers Association, Boys and Girls Clubs, the United Way, and the Food Bank. He said he has come up with several, because he's anticipating third party attack ads will still make their way into this race.