muzzled dogg
07-13-2011, 11:18 AM
John DiStaso's Granite Status: Veteran organizer Chris Wood hired by Ron Paul's camp in NH
By JOHN DiSTASO
Senior Political Reporter
Published Jul 13, 2011 at 3:00 am (Updated Jun 29, 2011)
JULY 13 UPDATE: KEY CATCH FOR PAUL. The Granite Status has learned that Chris Wood, a well-respected veteran New Hampshire political consultant, has been hired by Ron Paul's campaign to handle the organization of coalitions in the first-primary state.
Wood, who has long worked for various conservative causes and Republican campaigns, “will help the Paul campaign reach beyond the existing grassroots organization in New Hampshire, opening doors to the traditional conservative coalitions that have shaped the New Hampshire GOP,” said Paul campaign spokesman Kate Schackai.
Wood over the past 25 years has worked for, or been involved in, many campaigns in New Hampshire, including Craig Benson (governor), Chuck Douglas (Congress), Peter Bragdon (state Senate) and Ray Wieczorek (Executive Council).
He has been the executive director of New England Citizens for Right to Work, director of Granite State Taxpayers and Coalition of New Hampshire Taxpayers, grassroots director for New Hampshire Citizens for a Sound Economy and a consultant for the National Rifle Association.
In past presidential primaries, Wood was Pat Buchanan's statewide volunteer coordinator in 1992, and in 2000, he was Steve Forbes' deputy state campaign manager.
During the 2008 cycle, he was the political director for Fred Thompson's campaign.
Wood is the founder of the Concord-based political consulting firm Whitefield and Burke, LLC. An associate in the firm is Jared Chicoine, Ron Paul's state campaign director.
“For obvious reasons, we are very excited to have Chris join our team,” said Chicoine.
In a statement, Wood said Paul “is the only candidate who foresaw the economic crisis and now has a clear vision of how to restore America. While other politicians wait and see where the wind blows, Paul stays true to his message of sound money, freedom and prosperity.”
(Earlier updates and the full June 30 Granite Status follow. A new Granite Status will appear tomorrow in the New Hampshire Union Leader with an unabridged version as always here on UnionLeader.com.)
MONDAY UPDATE: BUSY NH WEEK. Mitt Romney's third town hall meeting with Granite Staters since announcing his candidacy will be a key component of his next visit to the first-primary state on Thursday.
The Granite Status has learned that Romney plans to cap a busy day of campaigning with a town hall to be held at the Adams Memorial Opera House in Derry.
Rudy Giuliani is also scheduled to return to New Hampshire on Thursday, and he will remain here on Friday. Ron Paul is scheduled to be in the state on Friday and Saturday.
Giuliani spokesman Alicia Preston said the reception and information the former New York City mayor receives on this New Hampshire visit will be a “key factor” in his decision whether to launch a candidacy for President.
Giuliani has said he intends to decide whether to run in late summer but it appears the decision may actually be made sooner.
Preston said, in fact, the decision will be made “very soon.”
For Romney, the visit comes on the heels of the release last week of a new WMUR poll, conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, which showed him continuing to lead the field in New Hampshire with 35 percent, followed by Michele Bachmann with 12 percent.
Romney begins on Thursday with a 12 noon address to a Portsmouth Rotary Club lunch at the Redhook Ale Brewery.
In the afternoon he will be in Rochester to tour RSA Realty and speak with owner Packy Cambell, a former state representative about how his business has been affected by what the Romney camp termed “the abysmal Obama economy.”
Campbell was John McCain's 2008 Farmington town chairman and McCain toured his business in 2007.
The town hall will begin in Derry at 5 p.m. and is open to the public.
Campaign spokesman Ryan Williams said, “Governor Romney is committed to running the type of person-to-person, town-to-town campaign that New Hampshire voters expect from presidential candidates. Mitt understands that the way to win the primary is to take questions from Granite Staters at traditional town hall events and earn every vote.”
Romney will also be officially endorsed by three county attorneys who have already made their support for the former Massachusetts governor known: Peter Heed of Cheshire County, Jim Reams of Rockingham County and Scott Murray of Merrimack County.
Murray was a McCain supporter in 2008, when he was serving as Concord City Attorney.
Giuliani spokesman Alicia Preston said that on Thursday, will meet privately with doctors and administrators at the Exeter Hospital and then attend Seacoast Federation of Republican Women's lunch at One Liberty Lane in Hampton.
That will be followed by a 2 p.m. reception with law enforcement officials and “civic leaders” at the New Castle home of former state GOP Chairman Wayne Semprini, who chaired Giuliani's New Hampshire presidential campaign in 2007 and early 2008, before Giuliani dropped out shortly after a fourth place finish in the New Hampshire Primary.
Giuliani will then travel to Manchester for a 6 p.m. event focusing on gun owners rights at Manchester Harley-Davidson, hosted by owner Steve Tallarico.
Preston said about 100 NRA members and Second Amendment supporters are expected.
Preston said a private dinner with key Republicans follow.
On Friday, Giuliani will head to Dartmouth College to speak to an American Political Institutions class at 12:30 p.m.
Preston said that Giuliani's “meeting with the many groups will help him decide if he thinks that there is someone already in the field capable of defeating President Obama or if should run himself.
“This visit will be a key factor in his decision,” she said.
Texas U.S. Rep. Paul, meanwhile, will Texas U.S. Rep. Paul, meanwhile, will return on Friday for a day of private meetings, followed by a nine-stop public schedule in Derry, Windham and Salem, set for Saturday.
He'll begin in Derry with breakfast at Mary Ann's Diner at 8:30 a.m., followed by stops at Derry Feed at 9:45 a.m., Al's Gun and Reel at 10 a.m., Rockingham Acres at 10:30 a.m..
In Windham, he will stop at Windham Farms at 11 a.m. and Village Bean at 11:20 a.m.
He'll speak to conservative activists at 2 p.m. at the Nesmith Library, followed by Salem stops at Mike's Red Barn at 4 p.m. and Chocolate Moose at 4:20 p.m.
Paul intends to focus on “the economy, the recovery and the looming debt ceiling betrayal in Washington” during the visit, according to his campaign.
Paul won a straw poll hosted by the Coalition of New Hampshire Taxpayers at its annual picnic in Hillsborough on Saturday.
The group said about 250 people attended, including Michigan U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, the latest entry into the GOP presidential field.
CNHT said Paul topped the straw poll with 63 votes, followed by Rick Santorum with 20, Bachmann and Herman Cain with 17 each, Romney with 14, Tim Pawlenty with 12, Gary Johnson with 11, McCotter with 3 and Jon Huntsman with 1.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who was not on the ballot, received one write-in vote.
http://www.unionleader.com/article/20110713/NEWS0602/706309959
By JOHN DiSTASO
Senior Political Reporter
Published Jul 13, 2011 at 3:00 am (Updated Jun 29, 2011)
JULY 13 UPDATE: KEY CATCH FOR PAUL. The Granite Status has learned that Chris Wood, a well-respected veteran New Hampshire political consultant, has been hired by Ron Paul's campaign to handle the organization of coalitions in the first-primary state.
Wood, who has long worked for various conservative causes and Republican campaigns, “will help the Paul campaign reach beyond the existing grassroots organization in New Hampshire, opening doors to the traditional conservative coalitions that have shaped the New Hampshire GOP,” said Paul campaign spokesman Kate Schackai.
Wood over the past 25 years has worked for, or been involved in, many campaigns in New Hampshire, including Craig Benson (governor), Chuck Douglas (Congress), Peter Bragdon (state Senate) and Ray Wieczorek (Executive Council).
He has been the executive director of New England Citizens for Right to Work, director of Granite State Taxpayers and Coalition of New Hampshire Taxpayers, grassroots director for New Hampshire Citizens for a Sound Economy and a consultant for the National Rifle Association.
In past presidential primaries, Wood was Pat Buchanan's statewide volunteer coordinator in 1992, and in 2000, he was Steve Forbes' deputy state campaign manager.
During the 2008 cycle, he was the political director for Fred Thompson's campaign.
Wood is the founder of the Concord-based political consulting firm Whitefield and Burke, LLC. An associate in the firm is Jared Chicoine, Ron Paul's state campaign director.
“For obvious reasons, we are very excited to have Chris join our team,” said Chicoine.
In a statement, Wood said Paul “is the only candidate who foresaw the economic crisis and now has a clear vision of how to restore America. While other politicians wait and see where the wind blows, Paul stays true to his message of sound money, freedom and prosperity.”
(Earlier updates and the full June 30 Granite Status follow. A new Granite Status will appear tomorrow in the New Hampshire Union Leader with an unabridged version as always here on UnionLeader.com.)
MONDAY UPDATE: BUSY NH WEEK. Mitt Romney's third town hall meeting with Granite Staters since announcing his candidacy will be a key component of his next visit to the first-primary state on Thursday.
The Granite Status has learned that Romney plans to cap a busy day of campaigning with a town hall to be held at the Adams Memorial Opera House in Derry.
Rudy Giuliani is also scheduled to return to New Hampshire on Thursday, and he will remain here on Friday. Ron Paul is scheduled to be in the state on Friday and Saturday.
Giuliani spokesman Alicia Preston said the reception and information the former New York City mayor receives on this New Hampshire visit will be a “key factor” in his decision whether to launch a candidacy for President.
Giuliani has said he intends to decide whether to run in late summer but it appears the decision may actually be made sooner.
Preston said, in fact, the decision will be made “very soon.”
For Romney, the visit comes on the heels of the release last week of a new WMUR poll, conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, which showed him continuing to lead the field in New Hampshire with 35 percent, followed by Michele Bachmann with 12 percent.
Romney begins on Thursday with a 12 noon address to a Portsmouth Rotary Club lunch at the Redhook Ale Brewery.
In the afternoon he will be in Rochester to tour RSA Realty and speak with owner Packy Cambell, a former state representative about how his business has been affected by what the Romney camp termed “the abysmal Obama economy.”
Campbell was John McCain's 2008 Farmington town chairman and McCain toured his business in 2007.
The town hall will begin in Derry at 5 p.m. and is open to the public.
Campaign spokesman Ryan Williams said, “Governor Romney is committed to running the type of person-to-person, town-to-town campaign that New Hampshire voters expect from presidential candidates. Mitt understands that the way to win the primary is to take questions from Granite Staters at traditional town hall events and earn every vote.”
Romney will also be officially endorsed by three county attorneys who have already made their support for the former Massachusetts governor known: Peter Heed of Cheshire County, Jim Reams of Rockingham County and Scott Murray of Merrimack County.
Murray was a McCain supporter in 2008, when he was serving as Concord City Attorney.
Giuliani spokesman Alicia Preston said that on Thursday, will meet privately with doctors and administrators at the Exeter Hospital and then attend Seacoast Federation of Republican Women's lunch at One Liberty Lane in Hampton.
That will be followed by a 2 p.m. reception with law enforcement officials and “civic leaders” at the New Castle home of former state GOP Chairman Wayne Semprini, who chaired Giuliani's New Hampshire presidential campaign in 2007 and early 2008, before Giuliani dropped out shortly after a fourth place finish in the New Hampshire Primary.
Giuliani will then travel to Manchester for a 6 p.m. event focusing on gun owners rights at Manchester Harley-Davidson, hosted by owner Steve Tallarico.
Preston said about 100 NRA members and Second Amendment supporters are expected.
Preston said a private dinner with key Republicans follow.
On Friday, Giuliani will head to Dartmouth College to speak to an American Political Institutions class at 12:30 p.m.
Preston said that Giuliani's “meeting with the many groups will help him decide if he thinks that there is someone already in the field capable of defeating President Obama or if should run himself.
“This visit will be a key factor in his decision,” she said.
Texas U.S. Rep. Paul, meanwhile, will Texas U.S. Rep. Paul, meanwhile, will return on Friday for a day of private meetings, followed by a nine-stop public schedule in Derry, Windham and Salem, set for Saturday.
He'll begin in Derry with breakfast at Mary Ann's Diner at 8:30 a.m., followed by stops at Derry Feed at 9:45 a.m., Al's Gun and Reel at 10 a.m., Rockingham Acres at 10:30 a.m..
In Windham, he will stop at Windham Farms at 11 a.m. and Village Bean at 11:20 a.m.
He'll speak to conservative activists at 2 p.m. at the Nesmith Library, followed by Salem stops at Mike's Red Barn at 4 p.m. and Chocolate Moose at 4:20 p.m.
Paul intends to focus on “the economy, the recovery and the looming debt ceiling betrayal in Washington” during the visit, according to his campaign.
Paul won a straw poll hosted by the Coalition of New Hampshire Taxpayers at its annual picnic in Hillsborough on Saturday.
The group said about 250 people attended, including Michigan U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, the latest entry into the GOP presidential field.
CNHT said Paul topped the straw poll with 63 votes, followed by Rick Santorum with 20, Bachmann and Herman Cain with 17 each, Romney with 14, Tim Pawlenty with 12, Gary Johnson with 11, McCotter with 3 and Jon Huntsman with 1.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who was not on the ballot, received one write-in vote.
http://www.unionleader.com/article/20110713/NEWS0602/706309959