McCain Comes Back For Ayotte
February 16, 2010John DiStaso and James Pindell are both reporting that two time New Hampshire primary winner and 2008 Republican Presidential nominee, will return to the Granite State to stump for Republican Senate candidate Kelly Ayotte. He is slated to attend a fundraiser for Ayotte on March 12 and hold a town hall meeting on March 13 in Nashua. Venues for both events have yet to be released.
McCain last appeared in New Hampshire on Nov. 2, 2008, when he held his final “Straight Talk” town hall meeting of the presidential campaign in Peterborough. Two days later, he lost his bid for the White House.
Former state Republican chairman Steve Duprey was the catalyst for the McCain visit. He is currently the Ayotte campaign’s finance chairman and was a senior adviser to McCain during the presidential campaign, traveling with him to virtually all of his stops throughout 2008.
“I introduced Kelly to John McCain a number of months ago,” Duprey said. “He was impressed with her record, and he’s become a supporter.” He noted that McCain’s political action committee has contributed to Ayotte’s campaign and McCain has attended fundraisers for Ayotte.
And, said Duprey, “Obviously, John McCain has a deep affection for New Hampshire and saw an opportunity to come back, see his friends and also help Kelly.
On the McCain town hall meeting:
“I don’t think John McCain is capable of coming back to New Hampshire without holding a town hall meeting,” Duprey said. He held hundreds of such meetings while campaigning for the presidency in the state in 1999 and 2000 and again in 2007 and 2008.
The addition of Sen. McCain to the NH political calendar makes for a crowded few weeks in NH political circles. It was also announced today the former Sen. US Rick Santorum will headline the Chesire County Lincoln Day dinner. Previously it was reported that MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Rep. Paul Ryan, and Rep. Mike Pence will all be headlining various Republican events and dinners around the state. Former MA Gov. Mitt Romney will also return to NH in April for a 2 day visit to include a book signing, a policy speech at the NH Institute of Politics, and attending Politics and Eggs at the Bedford Village Inn.
Bob
Feb 17, 2010
This proves Ayotte is a strong Republican. If strong conservatives like John McCain are behind Ayotte I’m sold :-).
BTW McCain also picked Palin for VP. Nothing against Palin but compared to Huckabee, Romney, Pawlenty, ect………………………………
LibertyLover
Feb 17, 2010
Makes sense that a liberal like McCain would come stump for a liberal like Ayotte.
Freedomlost
Feb 17, 2010
Well, that puts the last nail in Ayotte’s coffin for me. If she’s got McCain in her coner then I can’t vote for her. He too Liberal for me and if he likes her that’s all I need to know.
steve vaillancourt
Feb 18, 2010
Perhaps Ms. Kelly should be forced to answer whether she agrees with John McCain’s stand on illegal immigrants (Come on down, y’all) or his stance against Bush tax cuts or his stance in favor of denying free speech (McCain-Feingold as struck down by the Surpemes). While McCain is no Obama in terms of socialist tendencies, he’s a big government enabler kind of like Bob Dole who was once called “the tax collector of the welfare state.” Ms. Kelly would be another big govt enabler, another tax collector for the welfare state. Hardly what we need in 2010.
My fellow Republicans, ANYBODY BUT MS. KELLY should be the motto to rally round.
New Hampshire
Feb 19, 2010
:-)