Norm Silber: Messner is now GOP's best bet to unseat Jeanne Shaheen

To The Daily Sun,

I write as an “insider” with the O’Brien for Senante campaign. I proudly served as its deputy treasurer, registered with the FEC.

O’Brien withdrew from the race a few days ago because, even though he had the support of some very conservative Republicans within our state and elsewhere in the country, he was unable to raise sufficient money to mount an effective challenge to Senator Shaheen, who has many millions of dollars in her campaign fund.

The ultimate issue in the race, as I see it, is do we want to oust Senator Shaheen or to vote in the primary for a candidate who may be more to our ideological liking but who cannot win because of being opposed with overwhelming financial clout. In other words, do we use our vote in a noble but futile gesture or do we want to win and oust a proven left wing member of the U.S. Senate?

It is embarrassing to me, as it should be to many of you, that all four of our U.S. Senators and Members of Congress are left wing ideologues who vote with Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer all, or substantially all, of the time.

Although some have expressed concern about the non-NH “roots” of Corky, I am reminded that neither former governor and now Senator Shaheen, nor former governor and now Senator Hassan, was originally from New Hampshire.

General Bolduc has an impressive record of service in the military; and his family name is very well known in the Lakes Region, where his large family has lived for many years. He has been endorsed by several military leaders. But his campaign, very much like the O’Brien campaign, is very short on cash. So, I have concluded that if he were to be our nominee, he will be crushed by the very well-financed Shaheen campaign and we will be stuck with her for another six years.

Having been struck with a rare bout of political reality, I have concluded that I must support Corky Messner in the Republican primary.

Messner is a West Point graduate, played football for the Point, earned the Ranger tab in the U.S. Army (a major feat in itself), and served our country with distinction. He has been a successful lawyer in private practice and has amassed what appears to be significant wealth, much of which he is willing to throw into his campaign in order to try to defeat Senator Shaheen.

For Republicans and liberty-loving conservative independents, this primary race simply comes down to who will be best positioned to defeat Senator Shaheen in the general election.

I have never been shy about making noble but futile political gestures. But especially at this time in our country’s condition, I must cast my vote for someone who just might be able to defeat a proven left-wing Democrat who purports to represent us in the U.S. Senate.

So, I will now be supporting and voting for Corky Messner.

Norm Silber

Gilford