WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, UPDATE. GATSAS FOR ROLECEK. Endorsement season is in full force in New Hampshire these days, and businessman and “rookie” politician Chuck Rolecek has picked up a major one in his bid for the District 4 Executive Council seat.

The Granite Status has learned that Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas is endorsing Bedford resident Rolecek over state Sen. Tom DeBlois of Manchester and Hillsborough County Treasurer Bob Burns, also of Bedford, in their Republican primary race.

Democrat Chris Pappas is also running for the seat being vacated by Republican and former Manchester Mayor Raymond Wieczorek.

In a statement obtained by the Granite Status, Gatsas says, “Both as a successful small businessman and as a volunteer, Chuck Rolecek has made significant contributions to his community, and I believe that he is the best person to now serve Manchester and the other District 4 towns on the Executive Council.

“Chuck offers the experience that's required on the council. I'm confident that he will be a good steward of our state's resources and will hold government accountable to the taxpayer,” Gatsas says.

A “humbled” and “very grateful” Rolecek calls Gatsas “ a model public servant and has a tremendous record” as mayor and a former state Senator.

“His experience in government, business, and as a candidate himself will be of incredible value to me,” Rolecek says.

Rolecek, who is making his first bid for public office, owns the Hanover Street Chophouse and owned the former C.R. Sparks in Bedford. He chairs Fix It Now New Hampshire, a group of business people who have worked in partnership with Millennium Gaming, which holds an option to buy Rockingham Park, to try to bring expanded legalized gambling to the state. He said that if elected, he would step down from the post.

He also said he would not aggressively advocate for expanded gambling as an executive councilor.

District 4, as redrawn under redistricting, includes Allenstown, Auburn, Barrington, Bedford, Bow, Candia, Chichester, Deerfield, Epsom, Goffstown, Hooksett, Lee Londonderry, Loudon, Manchester, Northwood, Nottingham, Pembroke, and Pittsfield.

(Earlier updates and the full June 7 Granite Status follow.)

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, UPDATE: FROM SHERIFF TO SENATE? Republicans have found someone they believe can be a contender in a Democratic state Senate stronghold.

The Granite Status has learned that 14-year Cheshire County Sheriff Richard “Dick” Foote won't seek reelection as sheriff and will file today for the District 10 seat held by Democrat Molly Kelly.

Juliana Bergeron, former chair of the Cheshire County Republicans and current Republican National Committeewoman-elect, said she recruited the well-known Swanzey Republican.

“I've been calling him 'senator' for a month,” she said. “He's very well-liked. I think we are not just filling the seat. I think we have a contender.”

Foote, contacted en route to the State House where he will file, said, “It was a hard decision for me. It's a big change from what I've been doing but there needs to be some change at the state level. We need fiscal responsibility.

“I decided I had accomplished everything I had come to the Sheriff's office for,” Foote said, “and I thought there was a good chance if I ran for the Senate to get in there as a conservative Republican.”

It will be a tall order for Foote.

District 10, especially as re-drawn under redistricing, is one of the safest Democratic seats in the state, at least on paper.

Based on Democratic candidate performance in those communities in top races in recent years, District 10 has a Democratic Performance Index of 65 percent. Parties view any seat with performance index of more than 55 percent safe and any seat with a performance index of less than 45 percent lost.

(Earlier updates and the full June 7 Granite Status follow.)

TUESDAY, JUNE 12, UPDATE: OVIDE ANSWERS WITH GENE. A few hours after Kevin Smith announced the endorsement of former U.S. Rep. Bill Zeliff, of Jackson, GOP gubernatorial primary foe Ovide Lamontagne answered with the announced endorsement of former House speaker Gene Chandler of Bartlett.

See our full report below.

TUESDAY, JUNE 12, UPDATE: OVIDE'S OLD FRIEND. Ovide Lamontagne was the underdog challenger to then-U.S. Rep. Bill Zeliff in the 1992 GOP 1st District U.S. House race.

Zeliff beat him.

Lamontagne was the underdog to Zeliff in a bitter 1996 GOP gubernatorial primary.

Lamontagne upset him.

Now Kevin Smith has a new backer his campaign for the Republican gubernatorial nomination against Ovide Lamontagne.

His name: Bill Zeliff.

Payback time?

The former U.S. House member, of Jackson, says only that Smith “has the best experience, the right vision, and a practical plan for moving New Hampshire forward, and he gives Republicans our best chance for winning back the corner office for only the second time in the last 16 years.”

Lamontagne answered a few hours later, announcing the endorsement of former New Hampshire House Speaker Gene Chandler of Bartlett, who called Lamontagne "not only a friend but a true leader with the experience, integrity and vision to serve with distinction as New Hampshire's next governor.

"Ovide also understands the unique challenges and opportunities we face in the North Country, which is important to me and my constituents.," Chandler said.

Zeliff, 75, served in the House from 1991 to 1997 and has spent most of the years since then as a top lobbyist (his title is Senior Counselor) for the Washington-based Livingston Group, headed by his former House colleague, Bob Livingston.

But, according to the Smith campaign, he still maintains a residence in Jackson, where he owned the Christmas Farm Inn from 1976 to 2000, is a registered voter there and has voted there regularly, most recently in the 2012 presidential primary.

Zeliff becomes the second former member of Congress from New Hampshire to get involved in the GOP race for the gubernatorial nomination.

Former U.S. Sen. and U.S. Rep. Bob Smith backed Lamontagne several weeks ago. Kevin Smith worked in Bob Smith's office when the latter Smith served in the Senate.

Although Zeliff did not make an announced endorsement in the 2010 U.S. Senate primary, he did contribute $1,500 to Kelly Ayotte, who narrowly defeated Lamontagne, according to the Center for Responsive Politics' OpenSecrets.org web site. Zeliff also attended Ayotte's primary night victory party.

Smith said, “As a strong fiscal conservative and as a small business owner in New Hampshire, Bill knows first-hand the importance of keeping tax rates low in order to grow our economy. I've always appreciated his service to our state and the Republican Party, and I'm grateful to have his involvement in my campaign now.”

Smith's campaign said Zeliff's endorsement is "more evidence that people are taking note of his campaign's message and momentum. Smith remains the only candidate for governor to release a plan to cut business taxes, reduce health care costs, and lower electric rates in New Hampshire.

“Voters want leadership in their governor," Smith said in a statement. "They want to know that you have a plan for improving their lives and the state. They don't see it with the other candidates, but they are seeing it with me, and I think that is why I'm gaining more support.”

Chandler became the fifth former House speaker to back Lamontagne, joining Harold Burns, Stewart Lamprey, Douglas Scamman and Donna Sytek

(Earlier updates and the full June 7 Granite Status follow.)

TUESDAY, JUNE 12 UPDATE: DISTRICT 13 REPUBLICAN. Republicans have been looking for a candidate to run for the Nashua-based state Senate District 13 seat since businessman Jack Tulley decided against a candidacy a few weeks ago.

The Granite Status has learned they have found one in one-term state Rep. Joe Krasucki, a retired chemist and engineer, whose career included more than 10 years at BAE Systems. A resident of Nashua since 1977, Krasucki is the father of five and grandfather of four.

The seat is being vacated by Sen. Gary Lambert. Democratic former Sen. Bette Lasky, who was defeated by Lambert in 2010, is running again.

(Earlier updates and the full June 7 Granite Status follows.)

MONDAY, JUNE 11, UPDATE: President Barack Obama and challenger Mitt Romney's campaigns on Monday focused on controversial remarks about jobs and the economy that the other candidate has made in recent days.

Despite continued poor employment statistics, Obama said last Friday the private sector has been “doing a good job creating jobs” and, “The big challenge we have in our economy right now has been state and local government hiring has been going in the wrong direction.

“You've seen teacher layoffs, police officers, cops, fire fighters being laid off,” Obama said.

He went on to stir controversy by saying, “The private sector is doing fine. Where we're seeing weaknesses in our economy have to do with state and local government, oftentimes cuts initiated by governors or mayors who are not getting the kind of help that they have in the past from the federal government and who don't have the same kind of flexibility as the federal government in dealing with fewer revenues coming in.”

As Republicans pounced on those comments, Romney last Friday said of Obama, “He wants to hire more government workers. He says we need more firemen, more policemen, more teachers. Did he not get the message of Wisconsin where Gov. Scott Walker won a recall election last week after taking on public employee unions? The American people did. It's time for us to cut back on government and help the American people.”

Romney surrogate former Gov. John H. Sununu backed up Romney's comments, saying on Monday that in areas where student populations are dropping, taxpayers want fewer teachers.

The two campaigns on Monday produced dueling web videos criticizing the other candidate for his comments.

The Romney video asked, “Has there ever been a President so out of touch with the middle class?”

The Obama video charged Romney “wants to cut jobs for firefighters, police and teachers” and had local Massachusetts officials saying that when Romney was governor, state aid cuts resulted in cuts in local services, even making cities “less safe, not as clean.”

The Obama campaign in New Hampshire Monday produced Professional Firefighters of New Hampshire president David Lang, a retired Brentwood school teacher and a Massachusetts college professor to blast Romney.

Lang said Romney “likes to fire people and it's good to know the groups he wants to fire. It's unfortunate that firefighters and police officers and teachers have become the bane of Mitt Romney's existence.

“Reasonable people can debate what an appropriately funded government should look like,” said Lang. “We provide essential services and there's no argument there.”

He said that during a downturn, “the need for local services on the community level goes up.”

Lang noted the recent shootings of police officers in the state and a string of fires in Manchester.

Lang said New Hampshire has received nearly $130 million under the Fire Act program during the last two presidential administrations. He said that money was used for equipment for fire fighters.

Lang said Romney was simply “trying to weave himself into” the debate on public sector employees in Wisconsin.

Retired elementary school teacher Lucretia Ganley said Romney's comments “shows he's out of touch with the needs of our communities.”

She praised Obama's “Race to the Top” as cost-effective and said he “took bold action to keep approximately 300,000 educators on the job in the face of budget cuts.”

Donnie McGee, a professor at Bristol Community College in Massachusetts, said Romney had an “atrocious” record on education while governor.

The Romney campaign said that in fact, while Romney was governor Massachusetts "had the best record of any state. Under Romney, Bay State students scored the highest in the nation in English and Math tests."

She said his cuts in state aid “forced local governments to lay off thousands of teachers, librarians and even police officers.”

She also said that in difficult economic times, spending on teachers and community colleges must increase to generate jobs and tax revenue.

“To think that cutting back on educators who are funded by the government is a way out of this mess is really perverse,” she said.

Romney spokesman Ryan Williams responded, “President Obama said last week that the 'private sector is doing fine.' But the 23 million Americans who are struggling for work are not 'doing fine.' Job creators and New Hampshire small businesses are not 'doing fine.'

“The middle class is not 'doing fine,'” said Williams. “There is no denying that President Obama has been fundamentally hostile to private sector job creators and his liberal policies have prevented our economy from rebounding. America needs a President who understands the economy and knows how to get our country back on track.”

Romney will kick off a six-state bus tour on Friday with a stop at former House speaker Douglas Scamman's farm in Stratham.

(Earlier updates and the full June 7 Granite Status follow.)

MONDAY, JUNE 11, UPDATE: IT'S ABOUT JOBS. As the Barack Obama and Mitt Romney campaigns stepped up their battle on the jobs issue Monday, the Romney campaign announced the candidate will kick off a six-state bus tour in New Hampshire on Friday.

The Romney visit to former House speaker Douglas Scamman's farm in Stratham was announced last week. Today, the campaign said the New Hampshire trip will kick off a bus tour that will also include swing states Pennsylvania on Saturday, June 16, Ohio on Sunday, June 17 and Wisconsin and Iowa on Monday, June 18.

Romney will meet with families and business owners in small towns as part of his “Every Town Counts” tour, the campaign said.

Romney says Obama “has paid little attention to the everyday concerns of the American people” and has “offered no hope for the future.”

Each presidential campaign hit the other today on the jobs issue with web videos.

The Obama campaign blasted Romney's record on public sector jobs as governor of Massachusetts, while Romney's campaign hit Obama on his comments last week that the private sector is “doing fine.”

MONDAY, JUNE 11, UPDATE: GUINTA KICKOFF. U.S. Rep. Frank Guinta will formally launch his campaign for reelection on Monday, June 11, at 6:30 p.m.

He will open his office at 1850 Elm St. in Manchester.

Democratic former U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter launched her campaign last week.

(Earlier updates and the full June 7 Granite Status follow.)

FRIDAY, JUNE 8, UPDATE: FIRST GENERAL ELECTION AD. Republican Mitt Romney's campaign on Friday began airing in New Hampshire its first television ad of the presidential general election campaign.

The Barack Obama campaign has already aired four ads in the state. It's latest began this week.

Romney's 30-second spot focuses on “strong leadership” and says that as governor of Massachusetts, he “reduced unemployment to 4.7 percent” and “balanced every budget without raising taxes.

“He did it by bringing parties together to cut through gridlock,” the ad says.

Viewers of the ad will get a brief glimpse of two of Romney's top New Hampshire supporters _ former Gov. John H. Sununu and former Gov. and U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg.

The ad contains scenes from Berlin, Stratham and Exeter, the Romney campaign says.

The Obama campaign said the claims in the ad are "at odds with the truth."

Massachusetts state Rep. David Linsky said Massachusetts went from 36th to 47th in the nation in job creation when Romney was governor and fellow state Rep. Jeffrey Sanchez said "our tax burden went up $1,200 per person" during his term.

As we reported on Thursday, Romney is scheduled to return to New Hampshire on Friday, June 15, for an appearance at former House speaker Douglas Scamman's farm in Stratham.

Also Friday, the Republican National Committee announced that it and the NHGOP will open their second New Hampshire "Victory" office in Nashua on Amherst Street in Nashua tomorrow (June 9) at 9 a.m.

FRIDAY, JUNE 8, UPDATE: CARMEN BACKS OVIDE. Former U.S. Ambassador Gerald Carmen of Manchester, a former chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party, is endorsing Ovide Lamontagne for governor, the Granite Status has learned.

Carmen ran northeast political operations for Ronald Reagan's 1980 presidential campaign. He later served in Reagan's White House and as administrator of the General Services Administration from 1981 to 1984.

From 1984 to 1986 he served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva and was vice chairman of the Trade and Development Board, which reviewed activities of the United Nations Conference on Trade Development.

From 1988 to 1989, he was a member of the George H.W. Bush presidential transition team.

Carmen said, “Like Reagan, Ovide is a man the voters can trust.  He is the only Republican who can win in November.”

(Earlier updates and the full June 7 Granite Status follow.)

THURSDAY, JUNE 7, UPDATE. ROMNEY RETURNS TO SCAMMAN FARM. The Granite Status has learned that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will return to New Hampshire on Friday, June 15.

Romney is scheduled to meet with supporters at former House speaker Douglas Scamman's farm in Stratham, the same venue where he formally announced his candidacy for president just over a year ago, on June 2, 2011.

Romney last visited the state on May 18.

(The full June 7 Granite Status follows.)

THURSDAY, JUNE 7, UPDATE: SEMPRINI BACKS SMITH. Former state Republican Party Chairman Wayne Semprini endorsed Kevin Smith for governor on Thursday.

Semprini, a Portsmouth businessman, chaired the party in 2006 and 2007 and then chaired former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign in New Hampshire during the 2008 campaign.

Semprini called Smith “a leader who will find real solutions to the economic problems we are facing.

"Kevin has a detailed plan to reduce burdensome taxes on small businesses, generate private sector job growth, and reverse the declining labor force by providing greater opportunities for young workers," Semprini said. "Kevin gives the Republican Party its best opportunity to win in November."

(The full June 7 Granite Status follows.)

THURSDAY, JUNE 7: LYNCH'S (TARNISHED?) LEGACY. John Lynch will leave office in January as one of the most popular governors in New Hampshire history.

But flexing political muscle has never been Lynch's forte, and yesterday the votes on the proposed compromise education constitutional amendment were taken. Was it by design that the Democratic governor whose support was so intensely coveted by some Republican leaders — literally for years — turned out to be a non-factor?

Shockingly, Lynch was able to bring only two legislative Democrats (Sen. Lou D'Allesandro and state Rep. Peter Ramsey) on board for the amendment he supported — a plan that, had it reached the November ballot, could have been the crowning achievement of his eight years. And it's doubtful he had much, if any influence over either of those independent-minded lawmakers.

It all left many wondering just what the governor actually did to exert what had been expected to be his considerable influence on the issue.

Very little, we're told.

We understand from State House sources that he did not reach out to the House Democrats to try to counter the opposition of Democratic leader Terie Norelli and her leadership team.

“What really happened,” said a key State House player, “is he got out in front on this and then didn't see anyone following him” and then simply went through the motions.

It also wasn't a great day for House Speaker Bill O'Brien who was unable to bring the libertarian-leaning Republicans on board. In the end, 50 Republicans, or 17 percent of the GOP caucus, opposed him on what was arguably the most important vote of the session.

At least O'Brien worked it hard.

The Senate wanted Lynch on board because its leadership believed his support would have been critical to getting the amendment passed by the voters in November.

On the House side, O'Brien allies believe they could have gotten a more conservative version of a constitutional amendment through the House yesterday. But the Senate wanted Lynch and Lynch wanted the term “responsibility” in the amendment, affirming that the state has a “responsibility” to maintain a public education system.

And the rest is history.

A constitutional amendment will still be an issue in the governor's race, but, obviously, not nearly to the degree that it would have been had the plan actually made to the ballot.

Republican candidate Kevin Smith was first out of the box promising that if elected, “I will not give up on passing an amendment to return the authority to fund education from the courts to the Legislature.”

But he also called for more choice in education, more “flexibility” for administrators and teachers, support for charter schools, tenure reform and passage of a voucher program.

“A constitutional amendment is necessary and we must not give up on making it a reality, but let's not lose sight of the fact that it's only a starting point,” Smith said.

Ovide Lamontagne followed up with a promise, “If elected governor, working with the Legislature to pass a constitutional amendment concerning education funding will be one of my top priorities.”

And the NHGOP was quick to try to score political points on Lynch's lack of impact.

“It is obvious that Governor Lynch no longer leads Ray Buckley's party,” said Republican Party Chairman Wayne MacDonald. “Instead, Democrats singularly believe we should return to the days of out-of-control spending, pile up massive deficits and remain on a path toward an income tax.”

The reaction from Norelli's office ignored Lynch.

Rep. Gary Richardson said the proposed amendment would have allowed the state “to downshift most, if not all, of the cost of education to the local property taxpayer” and “severely limited the ability of anyone to challenge the actions of the Legislature.”

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JOHN ON BOARD. John Stephen, the GOP gubernatorial nominee in 2010, joined Lamontagne and Smith in talking to the House GOP caucus prior to yesterday's vote.

Stephen told us he was prepared to “devote all my political capital,” through his For NH political action committee, to work for passage of the education amendment.

“These were two of the bedrock issues of my campaign,” said Stephen.

He won't get the chance now.

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CHRIS JOINS MITT. A former top Ron Paul staffer in New Hampshire has been hired by the Mitt Romney campaign.

Long-time grassroots organizer Chris Wood will apply his craft as Romney's New Hampshire coalitions director. He held the same post for Paul during the presidential primary and helped the Texas congressman to a second-place finish.

Romney needs the Ron Paul backers to get on board with him, rather than stay home in November, if he hopes to pick up New Hampshire's four electoral votes.

Wood will reach out to Paul voters as well as key constituencies, such a veterans, Second Amendment backers and staunch pro-lifers.

In his role, Woods will work with fellow Granite Stater and former Rick Santorum national campaign manager Mike Biundo, who was hired as Romney's deputy national coalitions director in April.

“It wasn't a huge leap for me,” said Wood. “As much as I like Congressman Paul, I also have a lot of respect for Mitt Romney, who of course is light years ahead of who we have in the White House now.”

Woods said New Hampshire Paul supporters are currently “all over the place, but I think many of them are starting to move Mitt's way. I think the Paul folks will follow Dr. Paul and be with Mitt Romney. I fully expect Dr. Paul will endorse Mitt either before or at the convention.”

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.

Wood was Presidential candidate 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 former state campaign director.

Romney spokesman Ryan Williams called Wood “a skilled and seasoned New Hampshire Republican activist who brings a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience to our team.”

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JOEL JOINS OVIDE. Two years ago, former Judd Gregg Chief of Staff Joel Maiola was a co-chair of the “Republicans for Lynch” steering committee, a group that also included former Nashua Mayor and Executive Councilor Bernie Streeter, Griff Dalianis (husband of the Lynch-appointed state Supreme Court Chief Justice Linda Dalianis) and businessman Steve Griffin.

Two years later, Lynch is exiting and Maiola is returning to the GOP, endorsing Lamontagne for governor.

In doing so, he joins Streeter, Griffin and Dalianis in Lamontagne's corner.

Maiola cited Lamontagne's “well-earned reputation for being straightforward and honest. While firm in his beliefs, he has the ability to bring people with a wide variety of views together to work on the important issues of the day.”

Meanwhile, last night, U.S. Rep. Charlie Bass was the special guest at a $250-a-person Washington, D.C. fundraiser for Lamontagne. It was being held at the same time as the annual “Experience New Hampshire” event hosted by members of the congressional delegation — including Bass — and the New Hampshire State Society.

The host committee included Ed Tobin, the former executive director of the Republican Governors Association.

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HOLLINGWORTH'S COMEBACK TRY. After weighing her options for several weeks, former state Senate President and Executive Councilor Beverly Hollingworth has made it official this week that she is running again for the District 24 state Senate seat. She filed for the seat on Wednesday.

The Hampton Democrat in a statement Tuesday blasted the “radical” Republican-dominated House and Senate on a variety of issues and cited “all the great work that prior legislatures — Republicans, Democrats and independents — took years to accomplish, making New Hampshire the great state it is before these radical lawmakers took charge, bent on the dismantling of government, not just less government.”

Hollingworth served for five terms in the Senate from 1990 through 1994 and from 1996 through 2002. She was elected Senate president in 1999 following the death of Clesson Blaisdell and presided over the historic Senate impeachment trial that acquitted then-Chief Justice David Brock of charges levied by the House.

She later served two terms on the Executive Council before being defeated by Chris Sununu in 2010.

Earlier in her legislative service, she was in the House from 1980 to 1990.

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CAMPAIGN NOTES. Also on the campaign front:

-- Outgoing Republican National Committeewoman Phyllis Woods of Dover is expected to run for the District 4 state Senate race. She quietly set up a “Friends of Phyllis Woods” PAC a few weeks ago with Deputy House Speaker Pamela Tuckeras the chairperson and outgoing state Sen. Fenton Groen as treasurer.

Under redistricting, District 4 is now heavily Democratic.

-- Democrat Ann McLane Kuster is set to file her candidacy for the 2nd District U.S. House seat today, while her former campaign manager, Colin Van Ostern, will file his candidacy for the District 2 Executive Council seat on Monday.

-- Congressman Charlie Bass has opened his campaign with a new website and video.

-- Democratic former U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter filed yesterday for a rematch with Rep. Frank Guinta.

-- The grassroots-oriented SuperPAC CREDO continued to target Guinta this week with a “Frank Guinta Corruption Tour” rally at his Manchester office yesterday.

-- The Obama campaign is hosting a roundtable discussion in Portsmouth today headed by Portsmouth native Michael Breen, a retired U.S. Army captain and vice president of the liberal Truman National Security Project.

-- The New Hampshire Journal's latest poll on the GOP gubernatorial primary has Lamontagne leading Kevin Smith, 37 to 15 percent, but with 48 percent undecided.

-- Democratic District 9 state Senate candidate Lee Nyquist will file his candidacy on Flag Day, June 14. Lamontagne will file for governor that day.

-- The Democratic National Campaign Committee has reserved nearly $19 million in broadcast air time this week as the second stage of a planned $46 million ad blitz scheduled for after Labor Day, Roll Call reported.

Included is $3.67 million for the Boston media market, which covers Guinta and Bass's districts.

-- Sen. Sylvia Larsen and House supporters of President Barack Obama will roll out a new term at a news conference on women's issues today: “The O'Bromney Agenda,” an attempt to link Romney to speaker O'Brien.

-- Kevin Smith will host a $50-a-person picnic-style fundraiser June 19 at the New Hampshire Fisher Cats baseball game.

-- Democratic District 4 Executive Council candidate Chris Pappas has more than 500 donors and has raised about $62,000, with three fundraisers scheduled in the next few weeks.

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CILLEY'S TEAM. Democratic candidate for governor Jackie Cilley this week unveiled a full campaign staff as she gears up for the summer campaign.

It includes campaign manager Elizabeth Merry, operations director Keith McCrea, social media director Dean Barker, website manager Jan Schmidt, coordinator Caroline French, events coordinator Maureen Mann and fundraising staffers Roberto Fuentes and Katrina Baker.

Consulting for Cilley are Steve Murphy of Murphy Vogel Askew Reilly, who's well-known nationally in Democratic circles, having worked for President Jimmy Carter, former Philadelphia Mayor Wilson Goode and former U.S. Rep. Dick Gephardt's 1988 presidential campaign; Chris Keohan of CK Strategies; Mike Gehrke of the Benenson Strategy Group and Andrew Kennedy of Kennedy Communications.

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HAWKINS V. SANBORN. Andy Sanborn's resignation from his District 7 state Senate seat a day before the key votes taken yesterday at the State House was not lost on his new primary opponent in District 9.

“Sanborn, who lives in Henniker, rented a house in Bedford and registered as a voter on Tuesday, although his political signs have appeared throughout the district for weeks,” said state Rep. Ken Hawkins of Bedford.

“His signs moved into the district before he did. To think that you can abandon the Senate district you represent, resign before major votes are taken just to further your own political career, is certainly not the New Hampshire way or what constituents who place their trust in you expect,” Hawkins said.

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AD WARS CONTINUE. Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies (GPS), an issues advocacy group co-founded by former George W. Bush advisor Karl Rove, is hitting President Obama with its third issues ad in the past four weeks on New Hampshire television.

The group said it will spend $500,000 on the television buy, part of a $1.8 million effort in the state “to focus the issue debate on jobs, the economy, taxes and debt.”

The ad, entitled “Stopwatch,” says Obama, by failing to curb the rising national debt and deficit, is “mortgaging our children's future.”

The Democratic National Committee criticized “Karl Rove's latest ad” as “deceptive.”

The television buy includes network affiliates in New Hampshire as well as Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Crossroads GPS says its overall national issue advocacy effort totals $25 million.

The new ad will run for two weeks.

John DiStaso is senior political reporter of the New Hampshire Union Leader and New Hampshire Sunday News. He can be reached at jdistaso@unionleader.com. Twitter: @jdistaso.