As Dean says, this is huge:
Before Democratic Gov. John Lynch re-appointed Republican Kelly Ayotte to a full second term as state Attorney General he had an understanding that she would serve the entire term, the governor’s spokesman says. …
But now Lynch’s camp in joining the fray suggesting that if she does run she is going back on a promise she made just in April to complete the term through 2013.
“It was the Governor’s expectation in reappointing Kelly Ayotte that she would serve her full term,” said Lynch spokesman Colin Manning. “At the time of her appointment she told the Governor that was her intention.”
Remember, before Judd Gregg pulled the plug on his nomination to run the Commerce Dept., John Lynch planned to appoint Gregg’s equally conservative chief-of-staff as his replacement. So Lynch is not a guy known for sticking his neck out on behalf of partisan causes. Again citing Dean, this must mean that Dems are pretty concerned about an Ayotte run.
Now we wait for her response. If she doesn’t bail, this is going to be an ugly albatross for her for the next sixteen months. And I’d also expect it might encourage Charlie Bass even further.
This statement doesn’t really mean much. Politicians break their promises more often than they breath. Nevertheless Paul Hodes should have an easy run for the Senate. I expect a 59% to 40% victory.
stop making deals like this. Always appoint your own people when you have a chance.
It wouldn’t be fatal for her to break that pledge, but it certainly couldn’t help. And double-crossing (and thus pissing off) the state’s most popular politician cannot be something to be sanguine about, especially when you consider that he is not normally a real partisan figure.
I think Lynch is making a point to Ayotte and everyone that if she jumps into the senate race, the first political skirmish she faces to derail her ridiculous favorables is going to be with him, the more popular ridiculous favorables politician in New Hampshire.
I doubt this hurts Ayotte at all. I think she would likely be the favorite against Hodes who seems intent on running one of the most boring campaigns ever.