NEW LONDON, New Hampshire — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie came into the Granite State on Monday afternoon to help former Sen. Scott Brown and GOP gubernatorial nominee Walt Havenstein across the finish line.
“I am so happy to be here, and I have to tell you to look at the job these two guys have done in this race–it’s been extraordinary,” Christie, a likely 2016 GOP presidential candidate, said from behind the counter at MacKenna’s Restaurant, located about 20 miles from Mount Sunapee. “Walt Havenstein, coming through his primary doing what he’s done laying out a clear conservative vision for New Hampshire’s future, to revitalize the economy and grow jobs again in this state–and to make sure that taxes are lowered and make sure that spending is put under control and to give the people of New Hampshire a sense of hope and faith and trust again in their state government.
“This is an enormous undertaking that Walt and Judy [Havenstein’s wife] have done in this state and I can tell you this, for those people who were doubters before, they’re not doubters any more. This governor is on the run and Walt Havenstein is going to run her right out of the state house.”
As Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) and Brown joined Christie and Havenstein behind the counter, Christie shouted, “Hey, Kelly Ayotte is here!”
“This is going to be the new team in the United States Senate,” Christie said. “Scott and I have known each other for a number of years, and he has been an enormous influence in a positive way for politics in this country because he gets out and he works. There’s no one who works harder.
“I’ve been to 35 states now since December 1st, and I’ve seen every candidate you can see. There’s not a candidate in this country who works harder than Scott Brown has worked–and that’s exactly the way he’ll work when he gets to the United States Senate with Sen. Ayotte.”
After noting that he’s certain Havenstein and Brown will win on Tuesday, Christie turned to Ayotte to say: “You made the right decision for the United States Senate before and she’s standing right here. And I know that you’ll make the right decision tomorrow night and elect both Scott and Walt.”
Christie, who on Monday had been to both Michigan for Gov. Rick Snyder’s re-election campaign and Rhode Island for Cranston Mayor Allan Fung’s gubernatorial campaign, was slightly late to the event for Brown, Havenstein, and congressional candidate Marilinda Garcia because of air traffic control problems in New Jersey.
Before Christie arrived, Havenstein, Brown, Garcia, Ayotte, and their families served various kinds of pie to diner patrons from behind the counter–and then spoke to the hundreds who crowded inside elbow-to-elbow.
Brown riled up the crowd, then made the case for why New Hampshire needs to send him to the U.S. Senate.
Incumbent Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) “endorses those failed policies” of President Obama’s administration 99 percent of the time, he said, arguing that New Hampshire “deserves better.”
“The only check and balance right now to the president is to make sure that Harry Reid is the minority leader and take all those bills as Kelly referenced and put them on the president’s desk to say: ‘Sir, why didn’t you approve the Keystone XL Pipeline? Why didn’t you close our borders? Why didn’t you deal with the tax issues affecting our country and deficit issues affecting our country? Why sir?'” Brown shouted. “Well, it’s not the Republicans. What’s he going to say? What’s he going to say? He’s going to try to blame somebody, but he’s not going to be blaming us, because we’re going in there as the party who has good ideas, bold ideas–who’s going to show real leadership for the next two years.”
During his remarks, Havenstein noted how he came from virtually no support–polling at 7 percent when he first entered the GOP primary–to now within striking distance just 24 hours from election with polls showing him in a dead heat with incumbent Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan hours away from voting.
“We’re going to win, but we’re going to win because you all have worked so hard,” Havenstein said to the room of supporters. “If you’re like me, you’re tired of failed policies in Washington being embraced by failed politicians in Concord. We need to turn that around. We need to get our economy moving again here in New Hampshire–we’re dead last in New England. We’re behind Vermont. We’re behind Vermont. That’s not only unacceptable. That’s embarrassing.”
Christie is the chairman of the Republican Governors Association (RGA) and personally convinced Havenstein to run for governor earlier this year before the primary. He’s pushed lots of resources into New Hampshire on Havenstein’s behalf, helping him close the gap against Hassan.
Outside the diner, when asked by Breitbart News how big of a deal President Obama is on the campaign trail nationwide, Christie thanked Obama for traveling as much as he has because it reminds people how close every Democrat nationwide is to Obama.
“Listen, I don’t have anything more to say about the president than I have already,” Christie said. “I’m gratified that he’s running around the country reminding people that Democrats are Obama Democrats. I think that’s good for our party.”
Christie honed in on a theme first reported by Breitbart News a couple months ago when asked by another reporter about Republican Charlie Baker’s expected victory in Massachusetts’ gubernatorial race against Democrat Martha Coakley.
“Charlie Baker is a great guy, great candidate,” Christie said. “I campaigned for him four years ago. I believe he’s going to be a winner, too. Listen, New England, I think, is going to be an incredible story potentially tomorrow night. I’ve been in Rhode Island today, I’m going to Connecticut tonight. And I’m here in New Hampshire with Walt Havenstein. And Massachusetts is a big story too.”
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