OPINION:
The place was a diner in the capital of the Granite State. The intense occasion: an endorsement, and some public evidence that there’s some unity in the New Hampshire Republican Party.
On Tuesday, Sen. Kelly Ayotte formally endorsed Scott Brown in his quest for U.S. senator in her state in an eaterie adjacent to Nashua city Hall. Mr. Brown, a former Massachusetts senator, appears ready to return to Washington to do battle with Democratic foes, who currently hold three of the congressional seats in New Hampshire.
“She can’t be down there struggling and fighting three against one every single day. I would be honored if I have the opportunity to go down there and be her right-hand person, her wingman, to be able to go down there and battle for not only our state, but the men and women who are trying so hard to create jobs, our men and women who are fighting to get decent health care, to get decent veterans care. You deserve better,” Mr. Brown told the crowd.
“Please send me a teammate in Scott Brown that can fight against what we’re seeing in Washington. Get the federal government out of the way of our businesses, let our businesses create jobs,” Mrs. Ayotte noted in reply.
Former New Hampshire governors Steve Merrill and Craig Benson were also on hand to lend their support.
“Scott stands for the Constitution He’s not going to allow judges who want to interpret the Constitution in evolving ways. He won’t allow judges to become revisionists. He believes the Constitution says what it says, and that’s it,” Mr. Merrill said.
The battle beckons, though. Mr. Brown faces conservative Karen Testerman, former U.S. Sen. Bob Smith and former state Sen. Jim Rubens in the state’s GOP primary.
“My message to Scott Brown is to stop hiding behind endorsements and accept my challenge to debate the issues in 10 counties in front of the true endorsers - the voters,” Mr. Smith advised.
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