To get that job done, I need to get Scott Brown on the reform team, Romney declared, as the crowd burst into chants of We want Brown!

At that point, they agreed on virtually every major issue - opposing gay marriage, abolishing bilingual education, rolling back taxes, instituting the death penalty, cutting budgetary waste and inefficiency.

But despite the stage they shared that day, Brown and Romney never developed more than a passing political partnership, according to friends and associates. As Browns star has risen as a moderate proud of his bipartisan appeal, and Romney has worked hard to court the Republican base in his bids for the presidency, their paths have diverged, and their relationship has become more complicated as a result.

Brown no longer features Romney on his website or in his political ads, as he did in that 2004 race. Now, he advertises the three times when he has stood behind President Obama at the White House as Obama has signed Browns bills into law.

Browns campaign is also working subtly to distance him from Romney, whose sagging popularity in Massachusetts could make him a liability for Brown.

The Brown campaign declined to make the senator available to discuss his relationship with Romney and instead issued a statement declaring that Brown is his own person who doesnt line up entirely with any political party or candidate. Included with the statement was an analysis boasting of how many times Brown voted to override Romneys vetoes in the Legislature.

Brown did, however, endorse Romney for president last year as soon as the former governor made it clear he was running again. And Democrats are trying to make hay out of the relationship. A Web ad released by the Massachusetts Democratic Party calls them BFF - best friends forever - and shows clips of them yukking it up and praising each other at political events.

Brown also employs the same campaign advisers as Romney, making their pas de deux all the more intriguing to political insiders.

Those who know both men say they respect and admire each other but could hardly be called friends who get together off the campaign trail.

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Between Brown, Romney, support but little chemistry