Sen. Kelly Ayotte could have played kingmaker in Tuesday’s Republican primary, but instead she’s is staying out of the race for the GOP nomination, at least for now.
Ayotte, a first-term Republican from New Hampshire, hasn’t sided with any of the GOP hopefuls on the primary ballot even though her backing could have shaped the outcome.
“She currently has no plans to endorse a candidate,” Ayotte spokeswoman Liz Johnson told the Washington Examiner.
Granite State political experts say Ayotte might have swayed the results of Tuesday’s primary if she had decided to pick a favorite.
“If she were to endorse, I believe it would tip a tight race in favor of the candidate she backed,” New Hampshire Republican political strategist Patrick Hynes told the Examiner. “She remains very popular among Republicans and is admired by most factions within the GOP.”
Her fellow New Hampshire senator, Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, has endorsed Hillary Clinton over Sen. Bernie Sanders, who leads in Granite State polls.
Ayotte endorsed Mitt Romney before the 2012 New Hampshire primary, which he won. An early Romney backer, Ayotte was on his list of potential vice presidential candidates, but was passed over for Paul Ryan, who is now the House speaker.
Ayotte’s political circumstances are much different in 2016 than they were four years ago.
This year, Ayotte is not only up for re-election, but she also is in the political fight of her life against Democratic challenger and New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan, who trails her by only single digits in recent polls.
“Sen. Ayotte is in one of the most competitive races in the country,” said Nathan Gonzales, editor and publisher of the Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report. He said Ayotte’s political position makes endorsing a GOP candidate “high risk,” without much benefit for her own political survival.
“She’d endorse one candidate and alienate or anger half a dozen others and their supporters,” he said.
Ayotte hasn’t remained completely silent. She put out a statement last week calling on ABC News to allow former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina onto the debate stage Saturday night.
“ABC News’ decision to exclude her from Saturday’s debate on the eve of our primary, while she is outperforming one of the other debate participants in New Hampshire polls, undermines our role in the primary process, and I urge ABC to allow Ms. Fiorina to participate,” Ayotte said.
Fiorina was excluded because of low poll numbers and a poor finish in the Iowa caucuses.
Ayotte has stayed slightly ahead of Hassan in New Hampshire polls, but Hassan is a popular governor who is a big enough threat to put Ayotte’s Senate seat in a “toss up” category on the Cook Political Report, which rates races.
Ayotte also could face a challenge from her right. Conservative state lawmakers, who are angry with some of her Senate votes, in November began discussing whether to draft a candidate to challenge her in a primary.
There’s no challenger, but the threat exists and the filing deadline isn’t until June.
With the GOP presidential field running from very conservative to moderate, Ayotte is better off staying neutral, Hynes said.
“It’s the smart strategic move,” Hynes said. “She would risk alienating the activists who passionately support the other candidates that she didn’t endorse.”
