With a month to go until New Hampshire voters take part in the nations first presidential primary, two of the leading candidates for the Republican nomination there -- former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts and former Gov. Jon Huntsman of Utah, both of whom have invested heavily in the Granite State -- continued to build their organizations in that pivotal state.
Leading in the polls of New Hampshire and looking to reassure conservatives that he is dependable on their issues, Romney unveiled two endorsements on Monday that he hopes will help him nail down the Granite State.
Romney received the endorsement of Tom Thomson, the honorary chairman ofAmericans for Prosperity-New Hampshire and the son of the late Gov. Mel Thomson, the conservative who led the state during much of the 1970s.
For many years, Tom Thomson has been the leading pro-growth, anti-tax advocate in the Granite State. Tom has honored the legacy of his father, Governor Mel Thomson, by understanding that low taxes are the result of low spending, and by continuing his fathers fight to cut spending, reduce taxes and protect the New Hampshire advantage, said Romney in a statement released on Monday. Tom is a trusted conservative and I am grateful to have his endorsement as I spread my pro-jobs message throughout New Hampshire and earn the support that is needed to win the primary and return fiscal sanity to Washington.
I believe this election will be a defining moment in our nations history and that Mitt Romney, like Ronald Reagan, can lead this great nation to a brighter future, said Thomson. I believe he has the presidential leadership, private-sector experience and skills needed to get the job done. Governor Romney has a record of cutting taxes and he was the first major candidate to sign the No New Taxes pledge. I believe, as my late father did, if you are serious about opposing and cutting taxes, you must be willing to sign the pledge as Romney has done. Mitt has also learned excellent business skills, which he developed in the private sector. Washington desperately needs an outsider with business skills like Mitt Romney.
Romney also received another big endorsement in New Hampshire on Monday when Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas, who had been president of the state Senate, backed the former Massachusetts governor.
Ted Gatsas is an outstanding mayor and a dedicated public servant. As a successful entrepreneur, Ted understands the challenges facing small-business owners, and he has supported pro-growth policies that will help them create jobs, said Romney. I am proud to have earned Teds support and am honored to have him join my campaign to cut taxes, jump-start our economy and restore fiscal sanity in Washington.
Mitt Romney has the skills and the executive experience that the next president will need to turn around our struggling economy. After spending 25 years in the private sector as a successful businessman, Mitt knows how to balance budgets, fix broken enterprises and create jobs. He is also the strongest Republican candidate with the best organization to take on President Obama in 2012, said Gatsas. I am also impressed with the time and effort that he has invested in New Hampshire. Mitt is running the type of traditional grass-roots campaign that Granite Staters expect from presidential candidates and he is working hard to earn the support needed to win the primary.
While Romney looked to batten down the Granite State, Huntsman looked to increase his stature there. Despite initial high expectations when he launched his bid, Huntsman has sunk in the national polls. Looking to turn things around, Huntsman has focused on New Hampshire and has garnered some results, polling ahead of most of the pack but behind Romney and former U.S. Speaker Newt Gingrich.
On Monday, Huntsman unveiled his New Hampshire campaign team, bringing in almost 140 activists from 90 towns across all 10 counties in the state.
I have been overwhelmed by the support we have been receiving on the ground in New Hampshire, and I look forward to working hard with our great New Hampshire leadership team to be victorious on Jan. 10th, said Huntsman in a statement on Monday.
Huntsman turned to Nancy Stiles, a state senator, to lead his operations in the Granite State.
Jon Huntsman has shown time and again that he is a man of principle who voters can trust to defeat President Obama, deal seriously with our debt and turn our economy around, Stiles said on Monday. Showing his strong commitment to the traditions of our New Hampshire primary, Jon Huntsman is running for president with handshakes, shoe leather, and a statewide grass-roots organization. Granite Staters from Colebrook to Concord and Hampton to Henniker are turning out at town hall meetings to get real, straightforward answers to their questions.I am honored to serve as state chair for this leader and to be joined by such a dedicated organization of volunteers whose energy and enthusiasm are unmatched.
The Huntsman team also includes state representatives helping lead the campaign at the county level: Jeff St. Cyr in Belknap County; J. David Knox in Carroll County; Rick Ladd in Grafton County; Richard Drisko, Carolyn Gargaz and David Robbins in Hillsborough County; and David Kidder in Merrimack County. Huntsman is also counting on elected officials to help him at the town level.
In the meantime on Monday, a former Huntsman staffer announced that she is backing Romney. Veteran Florida Republican political strategist Susie Wiles -- who had been Huntsmans campaign manager earlier in 2011 before leaving the campaign -- announced her support for Romney on Monday. Wiles will serve as a co-chairwoman of Romneys Florida Advisory Council. With Romney leading in polls of New Hampshire, Huntsman has been aggressive in attacking the former Massachusetts governor.
On the issues that I have been fighting for in my campaign, Susie has been a leader and advocate in Florida and across the country for years, said Romney in a statement released on Monday. The addition of Susie to my Florida campaign adds to a growing and strong campaign team. With her support and the hard work of my Florida team, we will defeat President Obama, fix our nations economy, stop the growth of government, and bring jobs back to Florida. I am proud to have her support.
As this campaign has progressed, I have had an opportunity to observe each of the candidates and it is clear to me that one candidate stands out from the rest: Mitt Romney, said Wiles. Governor Romney is a conservative businessman who knows what it takes to turn our economy around. He has demonstrated the stability, intellect and integrity that Republicans are looking for in their standard bearer. And perhaps most importantly, he will take the battle to President Obama's doorstep and ensure that Barack Obama is a one-term president.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
