Why not Kelly Ayotte for Senate?

Once again, the political establishment in DC has shown its blatant disrespect for the intelligence of New Hampshire voters. Washington lobbyists and establishment politicians have been working hard to make sure New Hampshire chooses a candidate who will cater to their interests instead of your interests in the US Senate. That candidate is former Attorney General Kelly Ayotte, and as independent-thinking Granite Staters, we should show that we know better than to elect a candidate who clearly wishes to maintain “business as usual” in the nation’s capital for yet another six years!

A Vote for Kelly Ayotte Is a Vote for Business as Usual in DC

Like all candidates, Kelly Ayotte says she wants to change the way Washington works.  Why shouldn’t New Hampshire voters believe her? Consider the following:

"Business as usual" Republicans Sen. Mitch McConnell and Sen. John Cornyn hosted a big-ticket fundraiser for Ayotte with Washington insiders and special interest PAC’s September 22, 2009.  View the invitation here.

Why would US Senators want to spend their time shilling for Kelly Ayotte and introducing her to their Washington lobbyist friends? It’s simple. Independent-thinking senators who bring an agenda of change from their constituents to Washington are not easily controlled by the establishment. Ayotte, on the other hand, appears eager to become part and parcel of the corrupt legislative process in Washington.

Do we really want a US Senator who will be happy to let Senators McConnell and Cornyn continue calling all the shots for six more years?

But that’s just the beginning...

For her March 15 fundraiser in DC, Ayotte didn’t even need senators. This time she went straight for the Washington lobbyists. Fortunately, thanks to the wonders of the internet, we can view the invitation here.  

The website “That’s My Congress” provides analysis:

In order to attend this event, and have the privilege of meeting with Kelly Ayotte, representatives for political action committees have been told they will have to pay at least $1,000. If they wish to be given a higher status of access, they can pay $2,000 for that. Other individuals will be allowed the privilege of being in the same room with Ayotte, perhaps speaking to a representative of the campaign, for $500.

Where will the money-for-access exchange take place? That’s not certain. Initial communications about the event don’t indicate the location. It’s a typical backroom meeting of the sort that Ayotte claims to be against. Will backroom deals be made in that backroom meeting? That’s hard to say for those of us who don’t have enough money to pay the high fee for attendance, but certainly Ayotte is not a U.S. senator yet. Perhaps there will only be backroom suggestions, listened to with special appreciation earned through generous donations.

The article goes to identify the 9 prominent Washington lobbyists who hosted this event, several of whom represent pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer.  

Clearly, it’s time to choose a Republican candidate for US Senate who is NOT Kelly Ayotte.

Fortunately, regardless of what the polls say, three “Not Ayotte” candidates have demonstrated that they have significant support on the ground in this contentious primary. In alphabetical order by surname, these candidates are Jim Bender, Bill Binnie, and Ovide Lamontagne. GOP primary voters are encouraged to research these three candidates and select a Senate nominee who is NOT Kelly Ayotte.

Next: "She was for it before she was against it (and vice versa)."