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GOP's Gomez touts his support of Obama in letter to Patrick

BOSTON (MyFoxBoston.com/AP) – Massachusetts Republican U.S. Sen. candidate Gabriel Gomez has touted his past support of Democratic President Barack Obama and said he backed Obama's positions on gun control and immigration reform in a letter to Gov. Deval Patrick.

Obama has pushed for the reinstatement of an assault weapons ban, something Gomez now says he opposes.

Gomez sent the letter to Patrick in January.

At the time Gomez was trying to persuade Patrick to appoint him on an interim basis to the Senate seat left vacant by the resignation of John Kerry.

In the letter, Gomez cast himself as a "moderate Republican" whose appointment would be good for Democrats and said he supported Obama in 2008.

Gomez also wrote that he not only supports Obama's position on gun control and immigration, but would "keep his word" if appointed.

The letter also showed Gomez earned $8.5 million in adjusted gross income between 2007 and 2011. Gomez said his effective tax rate is 21 percent.

Gomez defended his decision to seek the appointment to the Senate in the following statement released on Wednesday:

"Like many independent minded people, I believed Governor Patrick had an opportunity to reach across the aisle and appoint a new Republican voice to help solve our spending problem, and to represent all the people of Massachusetts. So, I had the guts to ask him. The Governor never responded. I decided to run for the U.S. Senate because our country is greater than our politics. I served my country before, and I'm ready to serve again."

Gomez's Republican opponent, State Rep. Dan Winslow, also released a statement on Wednesday regarding the letter.

"Today's release of Gabriel Gomez letter beseeching Governor Patrick to install him as the interim U.S. Senator raises many serious questions about Gomez candidacy. This letter reveals many contradictions that show Gomez has been double-dealing with the voters of Massachusetts," reads the statement in-part.