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Scalia new flashpoint in Mass. Senate race

BOSTON (AP) - Democrats are sharply criticizing Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown for naming the conservative Antonin Scalia as one of the U.S. Supreme Court justices he most admires.

Brown was asked during Monday night's televised debate with Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren to name a "model" Supreme Court justice. Scalia was the first name Brown mentioned, followed quickly by Chief Justice John Roberts, associate justice Anthony Kennedy and associate justice Sonia Sotomayor.

Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer of California said on a conference call with reporters on Tuesday that by naming Scalia first, Brown aligned himself with the "intellectual leader of the far right" on the high court.

Brown, appearing in Worcester on Tuesday, said he admired Scalia's sharp legal mind, but not necessarily his positions.