Is Cash A Disadvantage In NH GOP Primary?

Jillian Bandes | September 13, 2010 8:44 PM

It could be.

Front-runner Kelly Ayotte, a former state attorney general from Nashua, has spent $2 million to push a conservative anti-Democrat, anti-federal spending agenda. Businessman Bill Binnie of Rye has shelled out more than $6 million — over $5 million out of his own pocket.
But Manchester lawyer Ovid Lamontagne may have benefited most from their spending spree, even though his expenses come to only $400,000.
Political analysts say Binnie hurt himself with television ads criticizing Ayotte too early. And Ayotte may have hurt herself by responding.

Lamontagne's thrifty ways fit nicely into his commitment to keeping overall spending down for taxpayers. As you may recall, he's the more meaty conservative of the bunch, but Palin jumped in early with an Ayotte endorsement.