re: Brown is closing in on NH

quote:

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of people outside of New England dont realize Brown is probably as conservative as that region will elect. Anymore to the right and he is down double digits.

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This is very true of course. Scott Brown could not win in a red state. But in a perennially-purple state like NH, he can. Not saying he will, but he can. Kelly Ayotte would not win a solidly red state either, but at a time when 4 of the top 5 NH political positions are held by Dems, . Sen. Ayotte has the best net favorable ratings right now of any national or state politician. She could not be the Republican nominee in a red state, just as Ted Cruz could not be the Republican nominee in a blue or purple state. Nevertheless, Ayotte and Cruz, though both seen by the other's supporters as disconnected, have very similar voting records. (They even sit next to each other in the Senate chamber.) Their Republican votes in the Senate both count equally as one vote in opposition to Obama programs.

A "conservative" in a blue or purple state does not have the same meaning as a "conservative" in a red state.

Ayotte and Brown are not what most red state Republicans find to be to their liking, but the only option is another liberal Democrat taking that seat and voting against Senate Republicans on almost every vote of substance (omitting the "junk" legislation like naming post offices and other public buildings after local figures).

One more thing about Ayotte (and I openly admit to being prejudiced because I have known her personally for a number of years), her name will come up frequently for the VP slot in 2016 no matter who the Republican nominee is. Her speaking voice in private is very normal, but for some reason, which even she cannot get a handle on, her public speaking voice has a "quiver" to it that is difficult to listen to, and in a national election that will "irk" some people. In Senate hearings, she has a strong and clear voice and is a strong and aggressive inquisitor. She's tough and she doesn't back down. But then she appears on a Sunday talk show, and that voice quiver makes it sound likes she's scared to death of the camera. If she can conquer that distracting quiver, she will be a force in the GOP for years to come

By the way, NH women are a tough breed overall. They like the Patriots because they like football and the team, not because they think Tom Brady is good-looking. They prefer a bearded mountain-man look to the Brady "boyish" Hollywood look. Their Patriots jerseys have Gronk's 87 and Wilfork's 75 on them. They're tough broads and proud of it.

Note": watching the Kuster- Garcia debate right now, and Garcia's youth and inexperience is showing. I despise Kuster, but she's going to be declared the winner of this one. Both are wearing blue jackets but it's easy to tell them apart - Beauty and the Beast Part Deux. (I've seen them both in person close-up so as mean as that last comment sounds, I stand by it.