First, in case you have not been paying attention, Mitch McConnell and his allies backed the so-called “bipartisan” border bill NOT to secure the border (which it did not), but to take the issue away from Donald Trump and Republicans who support Trump.
That is, Mitch and his allies would rather continue to control the Senate GOP under a Democrat President and a Democrat majority in the Senate than lose control by having Trump in the White House and Republicans who support Trump in the majority in the Senate.
Kelly Ayotte’s politics are much, much closer to Mitch McConnell’s than to Donald Trump’s. But will she be collateral damage of the failed “bipartisan” border bill?
Ayotte’s campaign has been focused like a laser beam on the issue of illegal immigration and the support of her anticipated opponent, Joyce Craig, for “sanctuary” policies. And now … pre-primary … is the time to do it because Craig is in a bind. If she moves to the middle she cedes the issue to her primary opponent, which might be fatal considering how far Left the New Hampshire Democrat Party base is on this (and other) issues.
So Craig is doing the only thing she can … hiding behind the “bipartisan” border bill. When gently pressed by Adam Sexton on whether she would make New Hampshire a “sanctuary State,” Craig’s repeated answer was: bipartisan border bill. Not surprisingly, WMUR tendentiously titled the interview, Joyce Craig questioned on welcoming migrants as governor.
Will this strategy work in the general election? I don’t know … but if Ayotte loses to Craig, Craig should send a thank-you card to Mitch.
