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TO GET YOUR MONEY THE SAME DAY. REPORTING IN WASHINGTON, JARRED HILL FOR WMUR NEWS 9. SEAN: THANK YOU. HERE AT HOME, SOME CHANGES IN THE RACE FOR U.S. SENATE. FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER BILL O’BRIEN IS DROPPING OUT OF THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY. SPEAKING EXCLUSIVELY TO WMUR BEFORE HIS ANNOUNCEMENT, O’BRIEN ENDORSED CORKY MESSNER, SAYING HE HAS THE RIGHT POLICIES AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO CHALLENGE DEMOCRATIC INCUMBENT JEANNE SHAH

Advertisement Bill O’Brien ends US Senate campaign, endorses fellow Republican Corky Messner Former NH House speaker cites lagging fundraising, says Messner is ‘conservative in his core’ Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Former New Hampshire House Speaker Bill O’Brien is ending his campaign for the U.S. Senate race and is endorsing fellow Republican Bryant “Corky” Messner.>> Download the FREE WMUR appO’Brien said in an exclusive interview with WMUR that he is convinced Messner is “conservative in his core” and has the necessary financial resources to compete with, and defeat, Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who is seeking a third term in November.And in a statement shared first with WMUR, O’Brien wrote: “Unfortunately, it has become apparent to me that my campaign is not going to be sufficiently financed to take on an incumbent who is as well-financed by millions of dollars in national PACs and special interest money as is Jeanne Shaheen.” His full statement appears later in this report. O’Brien made the official announcement Thursday during a 4:30 p.m. conference call with supporters and friends. His emails inviting Republicans to participate in the call began going out Wednesday afternoon and sparked much speculation.While O’Brien, 68, is suspending his Senate campaign, he is not leaving politics.He told WMUR that he wants to return to the New Hampshire House and intends to be a candidate to represent Nashua Ward 9. He and his wife, Roxanne, have lived in Nashua for the past several years after residing for many years in Mont Vernon.“New Hampshire is my love and I’m going to do anything I can to serve the state,” the conservative firebrand said. “I have the time and the ability to serve in the House.”He said the he hopes to have a leadership role if he wins the seat, although he said such a role does not necessarily have to be in an official capacity with a title.O’Brien became a Senate candidate last July, declaring at his announcement event in Manchester, “The very foundation of our nation is under attack. It is assaulted daily by those who would turn away from the promise of America -- economic freedom, constitutional liberty, and a citizen government -- to a nation of socialism where big government snuffs out free enterprise, suffocates freedom, and treats people as subjects, not citizens.”He said Shaheen held socialist beliefs. He reiterated that view in the interview, saying the two-term senator and former governor “is much more radical than many people realize.”But O’Brien had trouble raising money, despite being endorsed by his friend, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, and a number of state and national conservative leaders.He acknowledged in the interview that his fundraising for the first quarter of the year, when ended Wednesday, “was not good.”“I think I could have won the primary,” he said. “But I don’t think I’d ever have the resources to beat Jeanne Shaheen.”She had nearly $6 million in cash on hand in her own campaign account at the end of the fourth quarter and would be expected to attract funding from major Democratic sources and groups that realizing holding onto the New Hampshire seat is critical to any hope the Democrats may have of winning the majority in the Senate.O’Brien said he respects the other Republican candidate in the race, retired Brig. Gen. Don Bolduc, but said Messner, in his view, is in the best position to compete strongly against the well-funded Shaheen. And O’Brien said he believes Messner is a bona fide conservative.“I’ve had the benefit of watching this race develop and I really believe that Corky is a real conservative,” O’Brien said. “He fits into the mainstream of New Hampshire politics and he has the temperament that’s necessary.“I’ve spoken to him about issues that are of great concern to me,” O’Brien said. “He understands the importance of life from conception to natural death and his understands fiscal responsibility.”“And I don’t believe that he is just positioning himself for a political reason, to win, but that’s who he is.“I’ve talked to him about having borders that mean something. He understands that we have to get our fiscal house in order. I don’t believe he’s just looking for his next job. He could be in a personal position to be comfortable and step back, but he has a sense of community and civil service.”And as a practical matter, O’Brien said, Messner has the personal resources to compete. He has already dropped $3.2 million of his own money into his campaign and has a net worth estimated, based on his personal financial disclosure documents, in the $15 million to nearly $50 million range.Messner said he was honored to have O'Brien's support."He has long served this state and its citizens, and his record of public service is truly inspiring. With his support, I will continue my efforts to return New Hampshire's values and conservative traditions to the U.S. Senate by defeating Jeanne Shaheen this fall," Messner said.O’Brien said Bolduc is “a good person, but in terms of understanding the issues and instinctively being in the mainstream of the Republican Party, Corky is the candidate that I can support. I think he’s developed into a strong candidate.”O’Brien said it would have been much more for him difficult to step aside “if I did not feel that we have a good conservative candidate.”Bolduc later told WMUR in a statement: “Our campaign continues to strengthen by the day and our focus remains on Jeanne Shaheen. We need experienced leaders in Washington who will focus on service and problem solving, not politics and money.”As for his own future, the former six-term New Hampshire House member and former one-term speaker (2010-2012) said, “I think I have an understanding of the New Hampshire House and the legislative process that will allow me to be of some value in Concord.”He said he sees a need to focus on “bread and butter issues,” as he said he did when he first arrived in House in 2004. “I think I can do a lot of good up there,” at the State House, O’Brien said. “I think there are going to be a lot of problems coming up, which will not be dissimilar to 2010.”There was a quick reaction to the announcements from the state Democratic Party."Colorado Corky is running as a right-wing extremist, so it's no surprise that he is being endorsed by another right-wing extremist," said NHDP spokesman Josh Marcus-Blank."Both O'Brien and Colorado Corky are pushing for an outright repeal of the Affordable Care Act and a complete ban on abortion access, without exceptions. "While Senator Shaheen works across the aisle delivering much-needed help for people, small businesses and health care providers across New Hampshire, Colorado Corky grabs the far-right lane in a primary that gets nastier every day.”O’Brien’s full statement is here and below.“I joined the race for the Republican nomination some months ago and once again, as when I ran for Speaker in 2010, for Speaker in 2010, have enjoyed meeting and talking with Republican activists and voters across the state. It has been a great experience and a privilege to have so many listen to our message and provide their support.“Unfortunately, it has become apparent to me that my campaign is not going to be sufficiently financed to take on an incumbent who is as well-financed by millions of dollars in national PACs and special interest money as is Jeanne Shaheen. As a consequence, I am suspending my campaign.“More important for New Hampshire is not whether I am nominated, but whether Republicans can put forward a nominee who is much more in the mainstream of New Hampshire voters than the truly radical Jeanne Shaheen. “We need someone who does not promote, as does Jeanne Shaheen, the Left’s fiscal irresponsibility, climate fictions, disregard for life, open borders, voter frauds, and authoritarian instincts.“We truly need for Jeanne Shaheen to be replaced and New Hampshire Republicans have to nominate a strong candidate who can do just that.“That goal of offering New Hampshire a mainstream alternative to Jeanne Shaheen is important to me, as it is for all New Hampshire Republicans. As I campaigned, I have become aware that a fellow candidate, Corky Messner, not only can be, but should be, that alternative.“I have listened to Corky as he, too, reached out to voters. I have met with him and become his friend. Corky is the replacement we are seeking.“I am therefore proud to endorse him as the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in 2020. I hope to be able to support Corky in his campaign.“I will still remain active in New Hampshire politics as a co-chair of the Center Right Coalition sponsoring bi-monthly meetings of Republican, conservative and libertarian activists in New Hampshire. I also will run for state representative this upcoming November so that I can continue to serve the state that I so love.“For all those who supported my campaign, I will forever be grateful and ask that you also get to know Corky. For New Hampshire Republicans, I ask that you please choose the candidate who can and should be our next U.S. Senator, Corky Messner.”