Note

Just a reminder that we do not accept anonymous comments. Feel free to use a pseudonym if you'd like, but do use some sort of name. Thanks!

Fifth Best Primary?

We're #5 on The Fix's list of the ten best 2010 primaries:

5. New Hampshire Senate (R): When former state Attorney General Kelly Ayotte (R) got into the open seat race to replace retiring Sen. Judd Gregg (R), she appeared to have a glide path to the nomination with national Republicans -- including the retiring incumbent -- behind her. Things have gotten considerably more complicated since then, however, with conservative Ovide Lamontagne and wealthy businessman Bill Binnie now running. Binnie, an unknown to the state's political class, made clear his commitment to the race by dumping $1.2 million of his own cash into his campaign in the final quarter of 2009. (Previous ranking: N/A)

Sen. Shaheen's First Year

Foster's has a nice look at Senator Shaheen's first year in the Senate.

For the record...

I just saw my first 2010 Senate campaign TV commercial, and it was for Bill Binnie.

Sen. Shaheen on the Senate Health Care Reform Bill

Here's Senator Shaheen's statement on the bill's passage:

"Today, our nation took a historic step forward in a quest that has spanned generations - to provide better quality and more cost effective health care to all Americans.

"The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will provide access to health insurance for over 30 million Americans and tens of thousands of people in New Hampshire who are currently without it. It will prevent insurance companies from denying coverage to patients who have pre-existing conditions. It will provide New Hampshire's small businesses with significant tax credits to help them cover health insurance for their employees. This bill strengthens Medicare by extending the solvency of the program and helping seniors with the high cost of prescription drugs. And this bill is fully paid for - it will not add one dime to our national deficit. In fact, it will reduce the deficit by $132 billion over the next 10 years.

"This bill is not a perfect fix to our health care problems, but it will put us on the path to a stable and secure health care system."

Newt to NH

Newt Gingrich will be in the state on January 30 for a STEWARD conference called Grassroots Communication in the 21st Century. The event is free but registration is required. The announcement is here.

Union Leader Names Gregg Citizen of the Year

The conservative newspaper names the conservative senator their citizen of the year for 2009:

But, after more than 30 years in politics, Judd Gregg outdid himself in 2009. From his exclusive role as chief Senate Republican negotiator in the talks that shaped the Wall Street bailout to his dire warnings about the federal deficit and his active opposition to the Democratic health-care reform plan, Gregg last year had a major role in the national policy debate and became the leading voice of the GOP in the Senate.

Gatsas to Be Sworn in Today

Ted Gatsas will be sworn in as mayor of Manchester at 10am at the Palace Theater this morning.

Sen. Gregg Visits Afghanistan

Sen. Gregg met with foreign leaders and U.S. soldiers when he visited Afghanistan as well as Syria and India during a Senate visit.

"It was also a pleasure to sit down with soldiers from New England, including one from the Granite State, who deserve our appreciation for their courage and commitment to defending the American people," said Gregg.

Granite Status: 2010 Campaign in Full Swing

It's campaign season already, and John DiStaso, as always, has a great look at the current state of things in his Granite Status column.

FiveThirtyEight's New Senate Rankings

Our race is all the way down to 10:

10. New Hampshire (R-Open) -- New Hampshire tends to be a very good bellwether for national trends, perhaps because it's a well-educated state where people watch a lot of news and really enjoy the sport of politics. And since the national momentum is likely to favor the Republicans in November, that means Paul Hodes is running into a bit of a headwind.

Same-Sex Marriage Now Legal in NH

As of midnight, same-sex marriage is now a reality in New Hampshire. Here's Rep. Jim Splaine's take on the ceremonies he witnessed:

As those of us in the audience were watching the ceremonies, I was thinking that at this moment there was no better place on this planet Earth to be on this New Year's Eve and Morning. At least no other place I'd want to be, and I think that feeling was shared by all of us there. And of all the events I've witnessed or attended in front of the State House during the past 40+ years, including seeing Presidents and candidates and even the Red Sox and Patriots, this event this day, and the one exactly two years ago for the inauguration of the Civil Unions Law, are tied for first.

While the Civil Unions ceremonies of two years ago were held on a bed of ice in 6 degree weather with a brisk wind, this one was held on a comparatively mild night with a temperature of 25 degrees with a fresh coating of fluffy snow on the ground. It was cold, but our frozen toes were warmed by the words of love exchanged by the newly married couples, who after Claire Ebel pronounced them married at 12:01 AM were invited to dance.

New Poll: Republicans Leading Hodes

Happy New Year! Here we go, right into campaign season: Ayotte and Lamontagne both lead Hodes in the 2010 Senate race, according to a new poll from American Research Group:

Ayotte: 43%; Hodes: 36%; Undecided: 21%
Hodes: 31%; Lamontagne: 37%; Undecided: 32%

Gary Johnson to NH

Gary Johnson, former governor of New Mexico, is headed to the state to speak at a Republican Liberty Caucus of New Hampshire on January 23. This is, of course, provoking discussion of Johnson's possible interest in a presidential run.

Hodes and Health Care Reform

The Hill has an article on the brave stance Rep. Hodes has taken in the face of health care reform's poor polling:

With the healthcare bill polling like an electoral dud, Hodes has been more vocally supportive of the bill than any other major Democratic Senate candidate running in a swing state.
Hodes has been there through every step of the debate, even taking on Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), who caucuses with Democrats, for “bailing out insurance companies and watering down the bill.”

Online Town Hall with Gov. Lynch

Sorry for the radio silence recently. We'll be getting a fresh start right after Christmas as the 2010 campaigns heat up. (And Gov. Pawlenty is in the state TODAY, so the 2012 primary drama seems to be getting started as well.)

In the meantime: a new group called the Live Free or Die Alliance has an online town hall with Governor Lynch coming up on Monday. Go here to learn more about it and participate. I don't really know anything about this group yet, so I'm not endorsing them by any means, but this chat could be interesting. So. Just FYI.

McConnell Picks Ayotte

The NRSC isn't technically taking sides in primaries, but Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is hosting a fundraise in New York in December on behalf of a few candidates, including Kelly Ayotte. So. We know where he stands.

Pawlenty Visiting NH

Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota will be in Concord on December 16 to speak at a fundraiser for the Republican Senate Majority Committee. Pawlenty is widely seen as a 2012 Republican presidential hopeful, so speculation is rampant about his visit's connection with the state's early primary.

Gatsas Resigns Senate Seat

Ted Gatsas, mayor-elect of Manchester, has resigned his state Senate seat, as expected. There will be a special election to replace him on February 16.

Sen. Shaheen: Extending unemployment benefits cannot wait

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen has a blog post at The Hill on her strong feelings about the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act.

Romney Writes for Union Leader

Mitt Romney has an op-ed in the Union Leader: Stepping away from Israel will weaken the United States. Interesting choice of papers for Romney there...

Sen. Shaheen's Floor Statement on Health Care Reform

NH Down to #6 in FiveThirtyEight's Senate Rankings

Silver says:

6. New Hampshire (Open) -- Polling suggests that Kelly Ayotte is the very slight favorite, reversing the dynamic we observed before she entered the race. A libertarianish GOP message ought to play fairly well in this state. I've grown cautiously pessimsitic for Paul Hodes.

Ayotte Leads Poll

A new poll from ARG puts Kelly Ayotte ahead of Rep. Paul Hodes 41% to 34% in a potential 2010 Senate matchup. A quarter of polled voters are still undecided.

Bass Officially Wants His Seat Back

Now that Rep. Hodes is running for Senate, former Rep. Charlie Bass is trying to get his old House seat back. And as The Hill points out, this also means that Bass won't be challenging Ayotte for the Republican nomination for Senate.

Frank Guinta on Health Care

Here's his opinion, if you're interested.

Republican Candidates Speak in Bedford

A bevy of Republican candidates for various offices spoke at the Bedford Republican Committee's annual breakfast yesterday. Ovid Lamontagne, Kelly Ayotte, Bob Bestani, Peter Bearse, Frank Guinta, Ted Gatsas, and Jack Kimball were all there.

Nadeau Won't Challenge Hodes

He was considering it, but - nope. Former NH Supreme Court Justice Joseph Nadeau will not challenge Rep. Paul Hodes for the Democratic nomination for Senate.

Dodds Conviction Upheld

The NH Supreme Court has upheld the conviction of former congressional candidate Gary Dodds for faking his own disappearance in 2006.

FiveThirtyEight August Senate Rankings

We're still at number two:

2. New Hampshire (R-Open)
Kelly Ayotte, on the other hand, the Republican Attorney General of New Hampshire, is a relatively fresher face, although some New Hampshire observers I've spoken with wonder whether she might ultimately be too green to run a top-notch campaign. Still, another poll has come out showing Ayotte in a dead head with Democratic nominee Paul Hodes. She certainly gives the Republicans far better chances to retain Judd Gregg's seat than a retread like Charlie Bass or John Sununu might have.