By Ronni Berke and Carol Cosetllo, CNN
(CNN) – Is the love affair over between Scott Brown and the Tea Party? Time for a gut check.
Brown, a Republican, won a special election in Massachusetts this year to fill the late Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy’s seat, in part, because of Tea Party financial and political support. Yet, he was notably absent at the Tea Party rallies held this week. He told a local Boston radio station that he was busy – working.
“We have votes that we’re working on,” he said. “That’s my job and I’m here doing exactly what members of the Tea Party and others sent me here to do.”
Some political observers say Brown is tip-toeing away from the Tea Party, because it may cost him reelection in 2012.
Tea Party favorites Sarah Palin and Rep. Michelle Bachman are beloved by the far right, but not-so-much in Brown's district. Political science professor Jeffrey Berry of Tufts University says Brown is simply being savvy about his future.
“He wants to be just conservative enough to attract Tea Party voters and not so conservative to drive away moderates. That's a subtle dance, it's difficult to do. You open yourself up to criticism."
And Brown has done that - he broke with most Republicans and voted for the February jobs bill - and he refused to go along with a Republican filibuster over extended unemployment benefits. Fans on his Facebook page went ballistic, calling Brown a: "hypocrite, a “sell out,” and a "fiscal conservative my *#$@".
Oddly though, Tea Party reaction to Brown's no-show at this week's rallies in Massachusetts was muted.
“I'm not going to ask him to postpone hearings on nuclear bombs to come talk to folks in you know, his own district,” said Mark Williams, chairman of the Tea Party Express 3 tour.
Sabato says conservative leaders know Brown is widely considered a Republican hero – one the Tea Party needs as an example of its political might.
“The Tea Party will never do better. He's so good-looking; he's a centerfold. They'll never do better.”