Senator Scott P. Brown, the Massachusetts Republican who is trying to fend off a strong challenge from Elizabeth Warren, has found himself burdened once again by his party label and is trying to distance himself from it.

His latest move comes in response to comments by Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential candidate, who said at a closed-door fund-raiser in May that almost half the country backs President Obama because they view themselves as victims and are dependent on government for health care, food and housing.

"That’s not the way I view the world," Mr. Brown said in a statement Tuesday. "As someone who grew up in tough circumstances, I know that being on public assistance is not a spot that anyone wants to be in."

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Other Republicans who have criticized Mr. Romney’s statements include Linda McMahon, who is running for the Senate in Connecticut, and Representative Allen B. West of Florida.

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