E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
BEDFORD, N.H. -- Scoring one of the last major endorsements in New Hampshire, Mitt Romney announced Saturday night that he has been endorsed by Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas with exactly one month to go until the first-in-the-nation primary.
Gatsas, who leads the state's largest city and has served as the state Senate president, said Romney's electability was a deciding factor.
“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,” Gatsas said in a statement to NBC News.
“I am also impressed with the time and effort that he has invested in New Hampshire,” Gatsas added.
Gatsas, who endorsed John McCain in 2008 over Romney, will appear with the former Massachusetts governor on Monday morning at Manchester's Chez Vachon restaurant, a frequented stop on the New Hampshire campaign trail.
Romney also recently cemented the support of Sen. Kelly Ayotte, Rep. Charlie Bass and state Senate President Peter Bragdon -- and he has won a majority of key local endorsements.
"As a successful entrepreneur, Ted understands the challenges facing small business owners, and he has supported pro-growth policies tha twill help them create jobs,” said Romney. “I am proud to have earned Ted’s support."
Gatsas was reelected as mayor in a landslide in November. Before assuming public office, he co-founded Staffing Network, a company that became one of New England's largest employers. Gatsas has said publicly that he is considering a run for New Hampshire governor, to be vacated next year by Gov. John Lynch, a Democrat.
With the New Hampshire primary four weeks away, most of the major GOP endorsements have been snapped up. Two major players remain unaffiliated: Congressman Frank Guinta and state House Speaker Bill O'Brien.
O'Brien is widely expected to back another House speaker -- Newt Gingrich. Guinta recently told NBC News that he has whittled his list down to Romney, Gingrich, Jon Huntsman and Rick Santorum.
New Hampshire voters go to the polls Jan. 10.
Leave a Comment:
The fact that seven hours after this 'momentous' endorsement was announced, this appears to be the first comment should give interested voters pause.
No one seems to care if Mitt got an endorsement or who of great importance 'bestowed' that honor on him!! And you can bet $10,000 on that!!
I think that he probably asked for that endorsement after putting his foot in his mouth with the $10,000. What a dumb thing to say in a debate. People without a job ,or money to pay the heating bill really do not need to hear that kind of talk.
Take a freakin valium ....
Since there are only 2 comments above yours, the 2 people above you really can see that you like Mitt Romney.
If you comment was directed to me, I could happpily would have followed your advise last night, when it was so boring and revolting to hear the same hate rhetoric from the "hopefuls"
I think a valium would have helped...too late now.
Lay off the $10,000 "bet" BS. It was an idiom, phrase, or hyperbole---nothing more. If he had said $1, or $1,000,000, it would not be even discussed.
Actually, I'm thinking that a Paul/Huntsman ticket would be "Just the Ticket" They would cream Obama in the election.
Which Mitt Romney is this mayor endorsing?
The size of the bet is immaterial when you know it is a sure thing, he could have just as easily said a million dollars. Just talking faces making something out of nothing.
This means more to me than most I would suspect. I am a Mormon and I have been taught all my life not to gamble. The fact that he was willing to make a bet disturbs my greatly. This is not in the Church teachings and if Romney can't even live right in my church why would i want him in the White House?
X
All of this is a waste of paper and bandwidth. Romney hasn't a chance.
Do we care that one Republican Liberal supports another Republican liberal? Not really. This endorsement means about as much as the tobacco company lawyers endorsing cigarets.
Romney got the endorsement of Elmer Fudd. Gingrich got the endorsements from Donald and Daffy Duck. Those endorsements would cost at least $10,000 dollars.