MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty says he‘ll announce whether he will launch a White House bid after November’s elections, although his political committee is making very public plays in the state that hosts the first presidential primary.
Pawlenty sent six staffers from his Freedom First PAC here to help fellow Republicans turn out voters ahead of Tuesday’s primary. The group will help at GOP campaign offices and deliver coffee — with Freedom First PAC stickers on the cups, of course — to campaign volunteers standing outside polling locations.
Pawlenty, who is leaving office in January, did not endorse primary candidates in New Hampshire, although he has been working to build a profile there. Pawlenty has visited the state several times as he weighs a presidential bid, but he trails former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in owed favors from the establishment.
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EDITOR’S NOTE — An insider‘s view of this year’s elections based on dispatches from around the nation.
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Romney, who ran for president in 2008 and has a vacation home here, has helped raise tens of thousands of dollars for GOP candidates in the state and the state Republican Party. He, too, says he won’t announce his plans until after November.
But it’s clear that both men are jockeying to earn goodwill of party leaders and activists, whose endorsements matter should they face each other in the state’s presidential primary.
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New Hampshire Republicans have spent more than $9.5 million trying to retain the seat of retiring Sen. Judd Gregg, believing the winner of Tuesday’s primary will have an edge in November.
Front-runner Kelly Ayotte, a 42-year-old former attorney general from Nashua, has spent $2 million to push a conservative, anti-federal spending agenda.
Multimillionaire businessman Bill Binnie, 52, of Rye spent more than $6 million — more than $5 million out of his own pocket — but political analysts believe Binnie hurt himself with television ads criticizing Ayotte too early, and Ayotte may have hurt herself by responding.
Manchester attorney Ovide Lamontagne may have been the biggest beneficiary of the back-and-forth attacks, despite spending only $400,000.
Millionaire businessman Jim Bender, 57, of Hollis added to the spending spree with almost $1 million, most of it his own money.
The winner faces Democratic Rep. Paul Hodes, who — though unopposed — has spent $2.5 million.
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Colorado Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes said during a campaign stop that he’ll be tough on illegal immigration no matter what the federal government thinks, saying, “Screw them.”
Maes was speaking at a restaurant in Avon, Colo., when he made the comments Sunday. He said that as governor he would make sure a state law is enforced that prevents illegal immigrants from receiving public assistance without proper identification.
“We just need a leader with the courage to do that,” Maes said. “I don’t care what the federal government thinks about it. Screw them. We‘re going to do what’s best for the people of Colorado.”
Maes trails Democratic opponent John Hickenlooper badly in fundraising and the GOP has tried to get Maes to drop out of the race. The Vail Daily reports that Maes told people at Bob‘s Place in Avon that he’s recently been “pulled into meetings” he thinks are for fundraising only to be told he needs to leave the race.
Former Republican Rep. Tom Tancredo, who switched parties to run on the American Constitution Party ticket, is also seeking the governorship. He said he entered the race because he doesn’t think Maes is a viable candidate and he wants to give conservatives another choice.
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Republican Linda McMahon says she’s running for the Senate so that more lunch boxes are back on job sites.
McMahon, a former wrestling executive, is standing in a pristine white kitchen in a new television ad and telling Connecticut voters, “We need this lunch box — and a lot more like it — back at work.”
McMahon, who is trailing popular state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal in the race to succeed retiring Sen. Chris Dodd, has pledged to spend $50 million of her own money. She has blanketed television stations with messages portraying herself as a savvy business executive.
“Washington has created the perfect job-killing storm with higher taxes, deficit spending and expensive health care mandates,” McMahon says before alluding to her time at her family’s World Wrestling Entertainment. “We need experienced job creators in Washington, not more job killers.”
The ad, like most of her commercials, does not mention Blumenthal.
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Quick hits:
—Sarah Palin is lending her voice to Ayotte‘s Senate campaign in New Hampshire and Brian Murphy’s bid for Maryland governor. The former Alaska governor and 2008 vice presidential nominee is backing both candidates in primaries Tuesday.
—Rudy Giuliani supported Illinois Rep. Mark Kirk’s Senate campaign by joining him to discuss gang crime in Chicago. The Republican candidate and the ex-mayor of New York teamed up Monday to call for greater cooperation among federal, state and local law enforcement. Kirk is in a tough race against Illinois state treasurer Alexi Giannoulias.
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Associated Press writer Norma Love in Concord, N.H., contributed to this report.
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braats777
Posted on September 15, 2010 at 11:54amAs a Minnesotan, I can say T-Paw seems like a good guy. That being said…..NO WAY do I want him running the country. He ha stood up as much as he can get away with her in Libbesota, but does not seem to get “WE THE PEOPLE” as much as I personally would like.
Report Post »Party Of One
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 10:41pmSomebody better come up with someone better or we’re screwed again!
Report Post »dumbugga
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 12:15pmHe’s just another “John McCain” progressive Republican. Ask where he’s at with the Global Warming hoax and ethanol subsidies (welfare for farmers). He’s in bed with both of them!
Report Post »TAXLORDCOMETH
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 11:53amPawlenty who wanted regional cap and trade to enrich the Goldman Sachs bankers that will control the carbon credits market. Sorry — we are having none of it.
Report Post »uhavetobekidden
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 11:50amHERE IT IS: THE DEMOCRAT‘S WIN IN 2012 IT’S CALLED PAWLENTY!!
Report Post »The election is the Republican’s to lose and they will lose it with Pawlenty or Romney or JebBush or any of the current Republicans. Get real and get a plan.
TAXLORDCOMETH
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 11:54amThere will be no Jeb Bush nomination.
Report Post »tim151
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 10:51amRomney is a RINO. That’s all I got to say about that!
Report Post »Anarcho Capitalist
Posted on October 15, 2010 at 8:55amThats why he will be the GOP candidate.
Report Post »Once again i see that Ron Paul is not to be named. its 2006 all over again. I never understood why glenn never liked Ron Paul, But i do know why true libertarians could go without old beck.
RightWingKookTank
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 9:33amTim Yawnplenty could quite possibly be the MOST boring candidate EVER.
Report Post »lildeb56
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 8:56amTPaw lost me when he had a “hunting” photo-op. Shot a deer and never retrieved the poor thing. I would never vote for a “hunter” who didn’t retrieve his game. Bad. Very Bad!
Report Post »DGroundhog
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 9:11amYeah – that was a little telling to me. Especially for a Minnesotan. I grew up appreciating the outdoors and learning to shoot as a kid. I’m not a hunter – but I love to shoot my guns. Nothing wrong with hunting if you eat what you kill (or have friends that eat it). T-Paw seems to be a little confused on what hunting is all about.
Report Post »DGroundhog
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 8:52amI can’t wait until 2012 when the liberals get exactly what they are hoping for.
President PALIN!
Report Post »DGroundhog
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 8:55amC’mon – say it with me liberal trolls! Might as well start getting used to the idea.
President PALIN. First DUDE. President PALIN. First DUDE.
You want one ball or two with your November TeaBagging?
It’s not too late! You can be a ********* instead of being the TeaBaggEE
Report Post »DGroundhog
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 8:49amAs a relocated Minnesotan I can only say…….
PALIN 2012!
Report Post »JJ Coolay
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 10:12amThumbs up.
Report Post »mallsniper
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 8:24amMeet the new boss same as the old boss. No tyranny was ever stopped, dissolved or halted because of an election!! I learned that in 94!! Same institutions, same outcome!
Report Post »becklies
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 7:37amPawlenty is actually electable, so it’s going to be fun to sit back and watch the cries of “RINO” here. Just stick with the Palin/Beck platform guys, they’ll be much easier for Dems to defeat.
Report Post »JJ Coolay
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 7:39amOh are we talking politics on this thread?
Report Post »JJ Coolay
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 7:41amYou actually think the Dems are going to win anything in November?
Report Post »I dont care if you’re D or R, if you’re term is up, you’re probably a goner.
It’s time to clean house. The problem with that, for the Donkeys is that they hold more seats, so there are more to lose.
DGroundhog
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 8:50amT-Paw is electable because……….he is boring and doesn’t inspire diddly squat?
Report Post »JJ Coolay
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 7:35amLady Gaga is a freak show.
Report Post »Sicboy
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 8:22amPawlenty, another pathetic hack looking to enrich himself off the American people. He kinda looks like one of those “TV” preachers asking for money.
Report Post »Sicboy
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 9:37amNo Dumbags, that was me I farted in your general direction.
Report Post »jmb847
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 12:59pmVote in Nov. Thanks DGB
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