FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date:               May 17, 2008

Contact:          Fergus Cullen, Chairman, New Hampshire Republican Party

                        603-225-9341 office

SHEA-PORTER’S FRONTLINE FLIP-FLOP

CONCORD –In a clear sign that she knows her campaign is in trouble, Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter has done a 180 degree turn on the DCCC Frontline fundraising program she has long treated with disdain.

            “Shea-Porter can’t have it both ways.  Earlier she refused Frontline fundraising help from Washington party leaders, saying the money would compromise her independence.  By taking that money now, isn’t Shea-Porter saying she’s not independent of Speaker Pelosi and is in fact in the full embrace of the Washington Democratic Party leadership?” said Fergus Cullen, chairman of New Hampshire Republicans.

            “I suspect Shea-Porter’s decision to take the Washington money has a lot to do with last week’s UNH poll showing her losing her re-election bid to one Republican challenger and only receiving support in the low 40s against her other Republican opponent,” Cullen said.  “Washington Democrats know Shea-Porter’s in trouble; that’s why they kept pressuring her to take the money.  New Hampshire Democrats know Shea-Porter’s in trouble; that’s why their chairman dispatched a top aide to ‘professionalize’ Shea-Porter’s campaign.  Finally even Carol Shea-Porter is recognizing political reality,” Cullen said.

BACKGROUND:

February, 2007, on declining Frontline money:  "They did invite me, and I really appreciated that," Shea-Porter told the Concord Monitor. "But I wanted to do what I thought was best for New Hampshire politics." She told the paper she intended to “run another grassroots, low-budget campaign,” explaining to CQPolitics, “It’s really about building trust and relationships.” (Concord Monitor, 2/17/07, http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070218/REPOSITORY/702180331/1101/NEWS04)

March, 2008:  In March, Shea-Porter had herself removed from a Frontline listing on the DCCC Web site. A DCCC spokesman said her listing had been "a clerical error." "She's independent and wants to stay that way," Shea-Porter chief of staff Harry Gural said.  (Union Leader, March 27, 2008, http://www.theunionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Granite+Status%3A+Guinta+leaves+GOP+in+a+gubernatorial+lurch&articleId=aab79bb0-95c0-4cdd-b512-2ce268e69919

"She is an independent member of Congress and I think the fact she doesn't want to be in Frontline is consistent with her independent nature," said (US Rep Chris) Van Hollen on a conference call with reporters. (Politickernh.com, 4/7/08, http://politickernh.com/jamespindell/973/dccc-says-shea-porters-stance-typical-her-independent-thinking)

May, 2008:  Shea-Porter opts into Frontline.  (Union Leader, 5/17/08)

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