Sen. Brown urges 'larger tent' for GOP

WASHINGTON (AP) - Republican Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts, the only incumbent senator to lose re-election this fall, is urging the GOP to make a stronger push for support from women, minorities and moderates like himself.

Returning to the Senate for the first session since last week's election, Brown said Tuesday that he hopes Republicans in the future will be a more tolerant, open-minded party.

Brown says moderates such as himself and retiring GOP Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine are a vanishing breed in Washington, despite sometimes playing a key role in bridging the partisan divide.

Brown lost to consumer advocate Elizabeth Warren in one of the 2012 election's marquee races.

Brown's win in the 2010 special election for the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy's seat stunned Democrats.