Peterborough, New Hampshire (CNN) - New Hampshire U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, in an e-mail announcing her endorsement, emphasized Mitt Romney's strength in a potential general election match-up against Barack Obama.
Ayotte will officially endorse Romney on Sunday afternoon. The former Massachusetts governor was the "strongest candidate" in the GOP field to take on Obama next year, she wrote supporters.
"Mitt Romney has proven not only through his prior experience as a successful businessman and governor, but also through his solid campaign and excellent debate performances, that he is that candidate," she said.
Ayotte is a popular first-term senator and her support has been highly coveted.
A former state attorney general, Ayotte voted against the debt deal hammered out in Congress this summer and is seen as a strong conservative on issues of finance and defense.
Earlier this year, she introduced a bill to mandate accused terror suspects be tried in military courts.
In the e-mail, Ayotte said she believed Romney would keep the country safe "in a dangerous world."
"He will remain vigilant in the fight against al Qaeda and Islamist terrorists, and his national security decisions will be based on advice from our military commanders – not political polls," she said. "With a rising China and persistent nuclear threats from rogue nations, we need Governor Romney's strong, steady leadership to vigorously protect American interests."
Her support for Romney will follow that of other prominent state Republicans, including former Gov. John Sununu and former U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg.
Ayotte will endorse Romney at his 2:30 p.m. ET rally in Nashua, said the New Hampshire Union Leader, which was first to report the story.
From CNN Politics
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Who cares?
Is this any surprise? Ayotte is a puppet of the GOP. She hasn't done one independent thing for the people of New Hampshire. She just tows the line and repeats the overused talking points from her masters in Washington.
And here's another picture, of a person whose never had to worry about anything. The silver spoon in her mouth, has always been there, to make sure she never has, or will be destitute or hungry. Help keep America in the control of your oppressors. Remember: you're the disease. They are the cure. That's what they want you to think.
Mitt Romney doesn't have a back bone. No bones really just plastic.
Do we need a giant plastic MR. GUMBY as President?
Sadly, our electoral college system gives New Hampshire some weight. They have two senators – just like a real state. A Republic is a tough place to find a way to represent the majority of the people. When will we be connected enough to let the "state's rights" argument expire? Is this a relic from Colonial times and political solutions to keep colonies from killing each other?
Doesnt matter. With nearly half of the states GOP voters already backing him, there is no way this is news
Nonsense. This one endorsement is nearly meaningless to anyone except her.
"Big backer", seriously?
Mr. Romney's not perfect, but let's face it, no candidate is. Romney's leadership and business intellect are powerful and critical skills that we desperately need in the Oval Office. His personal character has been proven. He's a faithful husband, father, and member of his faith. A family man, who has been known to go out of his way to serve his neighbor time and time again. Those are qualities you can't fake or suddenly develop during a presidential campaign, and they are qualities people around the country and the world will inevitably see, as we do with every president. I think American would be wise to vote Romney into office.
Now She's patiently waiting for Her under the table mllion dollar envelope.
Sen. Kelly Ayotte sure looks like an angry lady .
Like anyone really cares.
Wow, she's really going way out on a limb, isn't she? Takes real courage to endorse the guy leading in the New Hampshire polls and whose closest competitor, Newt, is self-imploding in a week or so. LOL. Typical.
Political lightweights sticking together.
She sure waited long enough! Not really convinced? That's OK, neither are 75% of the registered Republicans.
Teabaggers falling into line. It won't last long enough to save the radical extremists in 2012.
Come on, CNN .... "gets big backer" !?!? Ayotte's been barely in office, has almost no impact in Washington and almost unknown outside northern New England and she's a "big backer" for Mr. Bain? Come on. She's a tool.
This sounds to me more of the " Government of the corporation by the corporation " .. Who's fooling who here !
I think I would hit that!
Ayotte is my senator. She's done nothing to distinguish herself as a legislator; instead, she's turned out to be a cog in the GOP machine. Her endorsement will draw headlines and boost Romney here but it conveys no imprimatur of quality.
I endorse Obama, any way, who is this Cayottee????
Romney is the reincarnation of Warren Harding...looks verrrry presidential, but like the hollow shell that was Harding, no substance......
NH voters, regardless of whether or not they are registered with a party, are largely independent. Endorsements might mean something to people in other parts of the country, but they are dangerous ground here, and just as likely to turn voters away from a candidate as they are to turn them on to that candidate. It's also very hard for a person from Massachusetts to earn a New Hampshire vote. Romney had his work cut out for him; he now has a harder fight. NH voters do not like being told who to vote for.
Sadly just the opposite...Romney's warmongering nonsense does not make him strong at all, but surprisingly another foolish Neo-Con trying to setup America for an unecessary war with Iran without a plan. Bush 2.0
Oh but another Romney flip-flop surely expected...
A first term senator from NH is a big endoresement? Never heard of her. She looks like a Teabagging beotch to be honest.