The following message from James Pindell's WMUR airship, drifting somewhere over Lake Sunapee, was cut short with the terse explanation, "AIR PIRATES."
A month ago New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie visited New Hampshire for the first time in years. He came with a purpose. Not only was Christie, in his role as chairman of the Republican Governors Association, trying to help Republicans defeat Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan, but he even endorsed a candidate in a competitive Republican primary, campaigned with him and raised money for him.
But now it appears that he basically has given up.
At a press conference Wednesday, the executive director of Christie's RGA singled out the top nine most competitive races for governor this year. There are 36 races for governor this year over all. According to POLITICO, the RGA mentioned Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Florida, Maine, Arkansas, Connecticut and Illinois. The director also went on to say that early successful spending for Republican incumbents in South Carolina, Iowa and New Mexico means the group will spend part of their $100 million also in Colorado, Massachusetts and Hawaii.
That's right, Hawaii and Massachusetts are more on the radar for the Republican Governor's Association than swing state New Hampshire.
But the RGA might be on to something. The most recent poll in Massachusetts shows the Republican candidate 5 points behind and in Hawaii the Republican candidate is leading the Democratic incumbent by 6 points. In New Hampshire, both Republican candidates are losing to Hassan by 26 points.
But RGA Communications Director Gail Gitcho cautions not to read too much in the remarks that didn't mention New Hampshire.
"I wouldn't draw any conclusions that we are taking the race less seriously," Gitcho said. "We believe that Maggie Hassan is vulnerable because she's been a weak governor who has taken the state backwards. We are very much paying attention to New Hampshire."
Christie will be back in New Hampshire later this month to raise money for the state Republican Party. You can be sure that he will be asked about this.