From Pindell on his weekly Ups and Downs Political Standing column:
Dan Dwyer: The Merrimack Selectman wants to primary Senate President Peter Bragdon, but Bragdon will file showing $63,000 cash on hand already in his campaign account. Can Dwyer compete with that?
As a Conservative activist, I have been sorely disappointed in the NH Senate this past term – really disappointed. A lot of people put a whole lot of time, effort, sweat, and money that ended up with supermajorities in both the House and the Senate and expected them to govern that way. While there was some angst over some of the House bills, there was a lot done that matched up with Conservative ideals (not to mention the Party Platform) and passed on to the Senate.
Where, they died. And that’s the problem. And when you are the Senate President (and add in Majority Leader Jeb Bradley), Peter Bragdon is the person seen as the responsible honcho for being “irresponsible” with the opportunity given to him. When I interviewed him prior to the 2010 election (on multiple occasions) , perhaps I read too much into his answers (like many did on the opposite side of the aisle with that other President, Mr. Hopeychange) and expected more content than the “vaporware” votes we actually received on the issues most dear to Conservatives and smaller govt folks. Disappointment (to use the lesser emotion) rides high – there is at least as much ire in the “public account” as there is in his campaign account.
So the question can be turned around, given the sour feeling I hear towards his “stewardship” – the question might not be ” Can Dwyer compete with that?” but rather “is $63,000 enough to save his ass?”. Bragdon is also the head of the PAC that is sometimes derisively called the “Senate Incumbent Protection Fun”; with far fewer Rs to defend, how “liberal” will he be in “spreading the wealth” between those who seats are already planted and those who are looking to sit? And to those that are in the former group, what will be the split, for whatever good and sundry reason, between those “still standing”?
Arm twisting not included.
