Posted on 03/04/2011 2:38:18 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
When Mitt Romney returns to New Hampshire on Saturday to make his first public appearance since prior to the 2010 midterm election, he will have two key Republicans from the North Country and Lakes Region behind his likely presidential bid.
Veteran Executive Councilor Raymond Burton of Bath and state Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley of Wolfeboro told the Primary Status they will endorse the former Massachusetts governor should he run, as is expected.
They cited his background in the private sector and experience as governor as the best formula for growing the economy, creating jobs and reducing the deficit.
Neither endorsed in the 2008 presidential election. Burton kept a low profile in that primary race, while Bradley was in the midst of an election for the U.S. House, where he had previously served for two terms.
Romney on Saturday night is scheduled to keynote the Carroll County Republican Lincoln-Reagan Day Dinner at the Attitash Grand Summit Hotel in Bartlett.
Bradley, the master of ceremonies, said it is virtually sold out with about 300 people expected.
Romney is not expected to make a formal announcement of a candidacy or even an exploratory phase in Bartlett, but will instead focus mainly on jobs and the economy.
His camp is ecstatic to have the backing of the two key New Hampshire Republicans as he returns to the state.
"Having the support of good people like Jeb Bradley and Ray Burton will be an important consideration for Mitt Romney as he thinks about running for president," said Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom.
Burton has been a fixture in North Country politics and at the State House for more than three decades. He is in his 17th two-year term as an Executive Councilor from District 1 and is an 11-term Grafton County Commissioner.
Bradley, after serving in the New Hampshire House, was elected to the U.S. House in 2002 and was reelected in 2004. He lost a bid for reelection to Democrat Carol Shea-Porter in 2006 and again lost to her in 2008.
Bradley then was elected to the state Senate in a special election in 2009 and then reelected last year, after which he was named majority leader by Senate President Peter Bragdon.
Both Burton and Bradley cited jobs and the economy as the reasons for backing Romney.
Bradley said he told Romney shortly after the 2008 election that he would endorse him if he were to run for President in 2012.
"He can best articulate and has the background to turn around our economy because he's a business person and understands the decisions that America is going to have to make in terms of global competitiveness better than anyone else out there," said Bradley.
"I've always thought that was his strong suit and I've always liked him on a personal level."
He said he also admired "the way he handled himself" after failing to win the GOP presidential nomination in 2008.
"He cares about putting the country in the right direction and not about his own personal agenda," Bradley said.
"He is the strong on the issues that are the most important to me and to most people, creating jobs and growing the economy so we can actually reduce our budget deficit," said Bradley.
"His background is as a business leader and that's what the country needs," said Bradley.
Burton also cited Romney's "experience and ability to create jobs, which we desperately need in the rural areas of New Hampshire. And, he can win in the primary and in the general election. Jobs, jobs, jobs."
Burton said he decided to make an endorsement in the upcoming presidential election "because we've got to get after the federal government. It is just pathetic, the layer upon layer upon layer of bureaucracy."
Burton said he will give Romney the same advice that he personally follows on the campaign trail:
"You're already two or three votes behind in my district so we hope to see you back at events like the North Haverhill Fair, Lancaster Fair and some of the old home days."
Bradley and Burton also said they do not believe that Romney will be hurt, at least in New Hampshire, because he championed what's become known as "Romney-care" in Massachusetts in 2006. That plan, like "Obama-care" calls for an individual mandate for the purchase of health care insurance.
Romney has taken heat on the issue from other Republicans, including Mike Huckabee, Haley Barbour and Paul Ryan.
Bradley said Romney "believes in state's rights and the 10th Amendment and that 'Obama-care' should be repealed and that states should have the opportunity to craft legislation that best meets their needs. I'm fine with that.
"In terms of votes in New Hampshire, as Mitt talks to people, they will understand what his position is on this issue and all issues," he said.
Burton said the health care issue "might cause a bump or two but I don't see it as a major hurdle given his experience and that he knows how to compromise with Republicans and Democrats and independents."
Also today, former state Republican chairman and former Gov. John Sununu said he is "looking at" endorsing Romney for president but is also considering governors Haley Barbour and Mitch Daniels and former Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
But he said it's too early for him to make a decision.
"I just started paying attention again," Sununu said. "And they haven't even announced yet."
He said he believes that outgoing Ambassador to China Jon Hunstman is "too liberal for the Republican Party," while former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich was wrong to cite climate change as a major issue in 2008. That's a charge a Gingrich spokesman has denied.
*Yawn*
I’m sorry but Romney is NOT GOOD ENOUGH to get me to the polls and I voted for him in the Mihcigan primary. We MUST have a more conservative candidate. Paul Ryan or Marco Rubio or Allen West please step forward.
RomneyCare, just by itself, will end any chances for future political victories by Mitt Romney.
Bradley = RINO = Washed Up 2x Loser to Moonbat Che-Porter
*&%% MITT ROMNEY.
"As U.S. real output grew 13 percent between 2002 and 2006, Massachusetts trailed at 9 percent.
* Manufacturing employment fell 7 percent nationwide those years, but sank 14 percent under Romney, placing Massachusetts 48th among the states.
* Between fall 2003 and autumn 2006, U.S. job growth averaged 5.4 percent, nearly three times Massachusetts' anemic 1.9 percent pace.
* While 8 million Americans over age 16 found work between 2002 and 2006, the number of employed Massachusetts residents actually declined by 8,500 during those years.
"Massachusetts was the only state to have failed to post any gain in its pool of employed residents," professors Sum and McLaughlin concluded.
In an April 2003 meeting with the Massachusetts congressional delegation in Washington, Romney failed to endorse President Bush's $726 billion tax-cut proposal."
[Cato Institute annual Fiscal Policy Report Card - America's Governors, 2004.]
“The Massachusetts Republican Party died last Tuesday.
The cause of death: failed leadership.
The party is survived by a few leftover legislators
and a handful of county officials and grassroots activists
who have been ignored for years.
Services will be public and a mass exodus of taxpayers will follow.
In lieu of flowers, send messages to Republican voters
warning them about a certain presidential candidate named Romney.”
- Boston Herald, 11/12/2006
"In 2006, while Romney was chairman of the National Republican
Governors Association - a group dedicated to electing more
Republican governors - his own hand-picked Republican successor
as governor lost badly to the Democrat, despite the fact that Republicans
have held the governorship in Massachusetts since 1990. Romney largely
ignored the Massachusetts elections and spent most of the time
during the campaign out of state building his presidential campaign.
He came back and publicly campaigned for the Republican candidate
the day before the general election!
“Locally, this is a rebuke to Mitt Romney and checking out within six months
after being elected and having accomplished almost nothing,”
[Jim] Rappaport [former chairman of the state Republican Party]."
- Boston Globe, 11/8/2006
"Governor Mitt Romney, who touts his conservative credentials to out-of-state Republicans,
has passed over GOP lawyers for three-quarters of the 36 judicial vacancies he has faced,
instead tapping registered Democrats or independents -- including two gay lawyers who
have supported expanded same-sex rights, a Globe review of the nominations has found.
Of the 36 people Romney named to be judges or clerk magistrates, 23 are either registered Democrats
or unenrolled voters who have made multiple contributions to Democratic politicians
or who voted in Democratic primaries, state and local records show.
In all, he has nominated nine registered Republicans, 13 unenrolled voters,
and 14 registered Democrats."
- Boston Globe 7/25/2005
Romney Rewards one of the State's Leading Anti-Marriage Attorneys by Making him a Judge
Romney told the U.S. Senate on June 22, 2004, that the "real threat to the States is not the
constitutional amendment process, in which the states participate,
but activist judges who disregard the law and redefine marriage . . ."
Romney sounds tough but yet he had no qualms advancing the legal career of one
of the leading anti-marriage attorneys. He nominated Stephen Abany to a District Court.
Abany has been a key player in the Massachusetts Lesbian and Gay Bar Association which,
in its own words, is "dedicated to ensuring that the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court decision
on marriage equality is upheld, and that any anti-gay amendment or legislation is defeated."
- U.S. Senate testimony by Gov. Mitt Romney, 6/22/2004 P>
"Romney announces he won't fill judicial vacancies before term ends
Despite his rhetoric about judicial activism, Romney announced that
he won't fill all the remaining vacancies during his term - but instead
leave them for his liberal Democrat successor!
Governor Mitt Romney pledged yesterday not to make a flurry of lame-duck
judicial appointments in the final days of his administration . . . David Yas,
editor of Lawyers Weekly, said Romney is "bucking tradition" by resisting the urge to
fill all remaining judgeships. "It is a tradition for governors to use that power to appoint judges
aggressively in the waning moments of their administration," Yas said.
He added that Romney has been criticized for failing to make judicial appointments.
"The legal community has consistently criticized him for not filling open seats quickly enough
and being a little too painstaking in the process and being dismissive of the input of the
Judicial Nominating Commission," Yas said.
- Boston Globe 11/2/2006
Simply Forget NitWitt Mitt Romney.
If he were to get the Pubbie nomination there would be a for real Tea Party.
NOBODY but the RINOs want anything to do with him. Even among Mormons he is not that popular. (I am not Mormon)
Two RINO’s licking the boots of another RINO, being reported by a DIABLO at a once reputiable news source....YAWN.....burp.... what?
2DV,
I was going to post this earlier, but my laziness was re-inforced by knowing that you would not miss it. Momney is getting started.
Burton is a big catch for MITTSTER and could damage our stop MITTSTER cause if he dedicates himself to lining up people for that frontrunner.
BTTT for Dio.
Here we go...Red Hampshire setting the table for another Obama term...
Haven’t seen anything yet...Romney will pull out huge endorsements from elected officials local, state, national in an attempt to gain momentum business men and women local state, and national.....huge press coverage coming.
Divided conservatives will get the RINO nominee they deserve.
It sucks but we do it to ourselves every time.
Christie isn’t running.
Republicans are not going to vote for old, wimpy, Stockholm Syndrome doormats, let alone accomplished collaborators like Mitt.
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