How best to derail Scott Brown in NH...

[elias49]

I'd like some advice from all you good folks about how to approach this fall's Senate race in NH. I know that the mantra is GOTV, but I want to do something more, esp given NH's notorious "independent" streak. Do I paint Brown as a carpetbagger? Do I use newspaper letters-to-the-editor to point out that Brown has apparently taken advantage of the ACA in his family to get insurance for his 26 year old daughter? I wonder if he supported "Romneycare" while he lived in Massachusetts.
There's also the wild card, former US Senator Bob Smith, who is/was planning to run in the primary against Brown. Haven't heard anything from his camp in months and I wonder whether he has been bought off by Americans for Prosperity (aka the Kochs) so as not to split the Repub vote and diminish Brown in the primary. Of course Smith, too, has the carpetbagger tendency...moved to Florida and ran for the Senate and lost miserably. But the old-folk right wing in this crazy state might vote for him in a fit of nostalgia...
What to do? This race is too important to lose.

[jberryhill]

1. Just let him keep talking

He derails himself

[liberal N proud]

2. How do the people of New Hampshire feel about this carpetbagger?

[elias49]

4. Which carpetbagger??

Brown and Smith are both hop-scotchers. I'm getting the sense that Brown is not doing as well as he'd like. If moss-back Smith can get some of the older R-vote, it could prove to be a problem for Brown. (Interesting isn't it? "Brown" and "Smith" How much more "American" can you get? Barf)
Both will continue to run hard against Obamacare, which I believe will prove a poor strategy in a few more months.
I just wonder if a strong primary challenge will weaken either or both.
The (Republican) establishment seems to be Brown-backers...he's young, he's 'adorable' and he has 300,000 miles on his hiccup truck.
I'm sure Brown is getting plenty of out-of-state money. I guess we'll see how much AFP wants to throw this way.

[seveneyes]

3. Having a candidate that gets more votes is the answer

There is no better solution to the problem.

[MannyGoldstein]

5. Start by getting out of his way...

This Bay Stater was amazed to watch how he blew himself up running against EW. I was a bit irritated that she didn't go for his jugular the way I knew she could, but she didn't have to: he went for his own, and sliced it cleanly.

Hopefully he'll do the same in NH. Seems to be, so far.

I happen to be friendly with a high-level Republican operative in your state. What's interesting is that while he hates Liberals, he actually supports the Liberal position on almost any specific issue. His family is get bludgeoned by the Economic Royalists these days, too, and he wants it to stop. Seems to me showing folks how Brown has helped the Royalists at every turn might be a plan. See if there's a way to tie him to the sick attempts to cut Social Security... That might help with the older voters. Tie him to the Koch brothers - I'd imagine that they're unloved in NH?

Do you have some responsibility within a Democratic organization, or is this an individual effort?

[elias49]

6. Mine is an individual effort.

and I think you're right about Social Security...we have a comparatively 'old' population.
I'm eager to see if the elder Sununu jumps into the fray. I worked for the NH House Speaker when Sununu won his first seat in the corner office. He was (is) an ass. I just don't know what kind of influence he wields these days.

[MannyGoldstein]

7. Sununu is a character

Are he and his son viewed favorably these days?

[elias49]

8. Sununu the Elder is a legend in his own mind.

The younger Sununu seems to have left the limelight for the more profitable banking world. I don't think that either Sununu is particularly influential here any longer. The elder - who reminds me disturbingly of Henry Kissinger - is past his 'sell-by date'.
I'm waiting for the little weasel Kelly Ayotte to show her hand. And Judd Gregg.