U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, R-MA, a prominent member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, lost Tuesday one the tightest and most closely watched Senate races to Democrat Elizabeth Warren.
Defense industry executives paid close attention as they hoped to keep Brown in prominent Senate committee as he had served as a moderate who could cross the aisle on divisive defense issues. It's unclear who the Republicans will replace in Brown's open seat.
Warren, a Harvard law professor, has not said if she intends to seek a seat at the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Even if the Democratic party does not place offer her at seat on the committee, Warren can expect a call from General Dynamics. The Massachusetts-based defense company is working hard with the Army to build a next generation battlefield communications network that could be worth billions over the life of the contract.
Brown had received significant campaign contributions from defense firms to keep Brown's support in the Senate. Filling Brown's Senate seat, she could prove to serve as an interesting player in the forthcoming lame duck negotiations to evade the sequestration cuts.
Brown said repeatedly he would do everything in his power to avoid the $500 billion defense cuts. Warren has not made her position clear on the sequestration cuts.
