A former attorney general 鈥� and the first woman to hold that position in New Hampshire 鈥� Senator Ayotte was recruited by the national GOP establishment to run for the seat left by retiring Republican Sen. Judd Gregg.
She narrowly defeated a tea party-backed candidate in the GOP primary, but drew the support of movement icon Sarah Palin, who dubbed her 鈥渙ne tough Granite Grizzly.鈥�
When Republican leader Mitch McConnell invited Ayotte and three tea party-backed freshmen on a congressional trip to Afghanistan, some viewed it as a bid to co-opt the new-comers. But Ayotte, who comes from a military family, says it鈥檚 鈥渕andatory鈥� for any senator to see how US troops are doing in theater.
She has declined to join the new Senate Tea Party Caucus. 鈥淚鈥檓 not joining any caucus,鈥� she says. 鈥淚n the Senate, every senator can have a major role.鈥�
She says she aims to work to create a climate where business can prosper by cutting government spending, fraud, and debt.
鈥淭hese are issues I will work with anyone on,鈥� she says.
