“The Public Keeps Asking”: Pressure Mounts for Quiet Kelly to Say Who She Voted for in NH Primary

“The Public Keeps Asking”: Pressure Mounts for Quiet Kelly to Say Who She Voted for in NH Primary 

UNH Poli Sci Professor Dante Scala: “I don’t think it’s going to be enough for [Ayotte] to say, ‘Well, I support the nominee of my party.'”

Three weeks later, Kelly Ayotte is still facing heat for her refusal to come clean about who she supported in New Hampshire’s Republican primary contest.

As noted by new reporting from WMUR, “Republican candidate Chuck Morse was a loud and proud endorser of Trump in the first-in-the-nation primary.” Morse questioned Ayotte’s refusal to say who she supported in January’s primary, noting that “the public keeps asking (who she supported).” University of New Hampshire professor of political science Dante Scala said Ayotte is “walking a tightrope” on this issue, that supporting the generic nominee is not “going to be enough,” and that “she will be expected to express her firm support for Donald Trump.”

Ayotte’s struggles with the Republican base started back in her 2016 reelection campaign after she infamously endorsed and then unendorsed Trump for president, which many say cost her reelection. Despite rescinding her endorsement of Trump, Ayotte also claimed she’s “not getting involved in the presidential race,” only to tell WMUR last year that she will support the Republican nominee in November.

Ayotte’s non-answers have frustrated the base she is desperately trying to win over, both in state and nationally: Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, a potential VP contender, made a jab at Ayotte for her lack of support, claiming to be the “only Republican woman from the Northeast to still support Trump.” Thad Riley, former candidate for governor and former political director for Trump acolyte Vivek Ramaswamy, called Ayotte out for refusing to take a side, noting that “without any endorsement, we don’t know where she stands on really anything.”

“Former Senator Kelly Ayotte has dodged one question after another on who she supported in New Hampshire’s Republican primary, and Granite Staters have taken notice,” said DGA States Press Secretary Emma O’Brien. “No matter how hard she tries, Ayotte can’t distract voters from her Trump troubles. Granite Staters deserve to hear from Ayotte directly on where she stands and who she supports, and they will keep asking her until they get an answer.”

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