Free Republic

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire — A new high-powered ad spot—and hefty buy behind it—aims to finish off incumbent Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and help former Sen. Scott Brown across the finish line. The ad comes from Ending Spending Action Fund, which is spending approximately $1.25 million in the final days pushing this message via television, radio, Internet, forthcoming print advertisements, and direct mail. That’s in addition to an existing $601,000 buy the group is already running in local television markets, meaning the group is up with more than $1.85 million backing Brown in the final week. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaAteJWDNI4 The television ad,...

A trio of Democratic-backing independent groups on Wednesday rushed to the air $1.3 million in TV ads to help New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who at one time seemed heading toward a safe re-election. Senate Majority PAC, Patriot Majority USA and Women Vote are running a joint ad criticizing Shaheen's Republican challenger, former Sen. Scott Brown. The ads started Wednesday and will run through Election Day on Boston broadcast and cable stations, as well as Manchester, New Hampshire, cable. Senate Majority PAC is a super PAC with ties to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Patriot Majority USA is backed by...

This landed in my inbox a few hours ago from the ‘New Hampshire for Scott Brown’ press team (emphasis mine): Today, Scott Brown received the endorsement of the former Democratic Leader of the New Hampshire State Senate, Bob Preston. Preston, who served nine terms as a State Senator including eight years as Democratic leader, penned the following open letter encouraging voters to support Scott Brown next Tuesday:

Democratic New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen was jeered with cries of “Rude!” Sunday after she interrupted her Republican opponent Scott Brown’s closing debate remarks to make a statement about the Koch Brothers. After Brown asserted that he was endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Shaheen butted in to call the Chamber a “Koch-funded organization.” Members in the crowd yelled “rude” at her. Brown received a round of applause moments later for criticizing Shaheen’s lack of decorum.

Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH) Says No New Hampshirites Lost Their Policies Under ObamaCare

Concord, NH – Although tonight’s debate was closed to the public – i.e., there was no live television studio audience – one thing was clear from being on the ground in New Hampshire: Unlike two nights ago, Scott Brown fans were there and energized. It may be hard to see, but one Brown supporter (below in the red rain jacket) was wielding a microphone, leading “Go Scott Go” chants hours before the cameras rolled. In the background, you can see where the debate is being held (alas, I did not gain access myself), and to the far left (not shown)...

Pushed Thursday night on whether she would want President Barack Obama to campaign with her as she seeks a second term, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) said it doesn’t make sense and Obama is “exactly where he needs to be” — in Washington. “We have a lot going on,” Shaheen said during an hourlong debate with Republican Scott Brown at NH1’s studio in Concord, which was broadcast live on WBIN-TV and was co-sponsored by CNN. “I don’t think it makes sense for the president to come to New Hampshire right now.” Shaheen doesn’t have a shortage of star power coming to...

Democrat Ann Kuster has been representing New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district since 2013. As our own Matt Vespa has extensively covered, New Hampshire State Republican Marilinda Garcia is challenging Kuster for her seat. At this point, the race is a toss up with less than two weeks to go until Election Day. Yesterday Kuster's campaign held a pro-abortion, pro-choice event in an effort to rally liberal voters and forgot to take down the Halloween decorations portraying death in the background.

One reporter’s opinion isn’t the end-all, be-all of political analysis. But as a respected, Boston-based reporter, Andy Hiller’s contention that Brown won the debate last night is worth listening to nonetheless. “Shaheen lost the debate because she had to spend so much time on the defensive, explaining the president’s policies on Ebola, Obamacare, ISIS and immigration,” he said. “She was much more effective in the second half when she directly challenged Brown.” “But Brown won,” he continued. “He never looked uncomfortable, he has cable network level communication skills, and in this debate the issues were on his side. He wasn’t...

The U.S. Senate candidates sparred in their first televised debate Tuesday as part of a cliff-hanger of a race that could shift the balance of power in Washington. Democratic incumbent Jeanne Shaheen and Republican Scott Brown debated energy, Ebola, immigration, jobs and the economy, national security and health care. They were first asked to share their views of the U.S. response to the threat of Ebola. Brown said the U.S. needs a travel ban. "I'm thankful that Senator Shaheen broke with President Obama in that regard" and decided to support a travel ban, he said.

The town of Fremont went 250 years without a single reported murder—until today. Police are investigating an “apparent homicide” in a home at 269 Main St. after a body was found there early Friday morning. Authorities have not yet released the name of the victim or a man they are seeking in connection with the investigation.

New Hampshire authorities promised to investigate and prosecute rioters responsible for the “disturbing” events during the Keene Pumpkin Festival, officials said in a press conference on Monday afternoon.

As you can imagine, I was alarmed, but not very surprised, when I received reports of rioting at the Pumpkin Festival in Keene, NH. The residents of Keene hold the Pumpkin Festival annually. Their mission is first and always to amass the most number of jack-o-lanterns in history. In 2013 they broke the previous record held by Boston when they brought together 30,581 jack-o-lanterns, according to accounts by the Keene Sentinel.But into their 30,581 points of light this year was inserted sinister, dark forces. Forces that were nonsensical, dystopian and anarchical.And those forces descended into the hallmark expression of Obama’s...

This weekend marked the 24th annual Pumpkin Festival in Keene, New Hampshire, but instead of good times and fun, festivalgoers found themselves in the middle of a riot when a fight broke out and spilled into the streets.

Scott Brown is staging a late-game comeback in New Hampshire and the analysts at the Cook Political Report have taken notice. Even though Scott Brown has been trailing for months in the polls, a couple of new surveys show he’s nipping at Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s (D-NH) heels. Perhaps in part because he's become more visible in recent weeks, or perhaps because national security issues are starting to take center stage, the analysts believe Brown is now a formidable candidate. From their write-up:

As gun control proponent Gabby Giffords gets more "aggressive" in her push for gun control candidates, at least one of those candidates is distancing herself from the ads Giffords is running. New Hampshire's WMUR 9 ABC reports that though incumbent Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH 1st District) is thoroughly in favor of gun control, the tone of attack in Giffords' new ad is simply too much for her. The video on the outlet's website clearly demonstrates Shea-Porter's desire to move away from being associated with the former representative's ad.

The contrast between New Hampshire’s two candidates for U.S. Senate couldn’t have been clearer this past weekend. In one town, Senator Jeanne Shaheen spoke to the International Brotherhood Of Electrical Workers over a pancake breakfast, and in another, former Senator Scott Brown received a rowdy and enthusiastic reception at a tailgate organized by College Republicans at the University of New Hampshire. It sounds like a normal weekend in October, so why the significance? I can’t help but marvel at the juxtaposition: a traditional, pre-planned campaign event with the candidate as the main attraction and the other, a tailgate loosely organized...

United States Senate For the third straight week, the US Senate race in New Hampshire is statistically a dead heat. According to Lesperance, “This week Republican Scott Brown leads Democrat Senator Jeanne Shaheen 48% to 46.9%. However, this is well within the 2.98% margin of error. So the Senate race is just too close to call.” 2.8% of respondents would prefer another candidate and 2.3% are unsure.

An affiliate of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s political advocacy group is putting nearly $1 million into New Hampshire to back Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D) in her reelection bid. The Council for American Job Growth is launching a 10-day television spot touting Shaheen’s support on veterans issue. The group has ties to FWD.us, which Zuckerberg founded to advocate for immigration reform and other issues important to the tech industry.

The battle for the House has turned into trench warfare, with Republicans trying to scrape out enough wins to give them a historic majority and Democrats doing everything they can to minimize GOP gains. If the election were held today, strategists from both sides say, Republicans would expand their current majority by between six and eight seats ... Republicans head into the final weeks of the campaign almost exclusively on offense. Of the 31 or so races seriously in contention, 22 — over 70 percent — are in districts held by Democrats. Twenty of the 31 districts were won by...