HENNIKER, N.H. (AP) - The Latest on fallout from comments by U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte that GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump would be a role model for children (all times local):
11:30 a.m.
GOP U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire says she doesn’t believe Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Hillary Clinton is a role model for children.
Ayotte said during a Monday night debate that she would “absolutely” tell a child to aspire to be like Trump. She walked back the comments later Monday night and again Tuesday morning before taking a turn working at a McDonald’s in Hudson.
She said outside McDonald’s: “Neither Donald Trump nor Hillary Clinton have set a good example, and I would not hold out either of them out as a role model for my children.”
She says she has confidence New Hampshire residents will support the person who can best represent them in the Senate.
Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan (HAS’-uhn) is challenging Ayotte for her seat.
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10 a.m.
The campaign of U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte’s challenger has moved quickly to take advantage of comments by Ayotte that GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump is a role model for children.
Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan’s (HAS’-uhnz) campaign on Tuesday released a digital ad highlighting Trump’s recent criticism of a former Miss Universe who gained weight, his mocking imitation of Clinton’s health-related stumble after a Sept. 11 memorial and other distasteful remarks on women and the disabled.
Ayotte said during Monday night’s debate with Hassan that she would “absolutely” tell a child to aspire to be like Trump. But her campaign issued a statement shortly afterward in which Ayotte reversed herself and said she “misspoke.”
Ayotte had previously said she would vote for Trump but not endorse him.
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Midnight
A New Hampshire Republican senator says she would tell a child to aspire to be like GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump.
U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte made the comments Monday night during her debate with challenger, Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan.
In their second debate, Trump loomed large following revelations over the weekend reported by The New York Times that he may not have paid income taxes after a more than $900 million loss in 1995. Trump has refused to release his tax returns.
Ayotte, who said she would vote for Trump but not endorse him, was asked whether she would tell a child to aspire to be like him. After initially sidestepping the question, she said “absolutely, I would do that.”
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