Testerman Ends Campaign, Backs Smith in NH Senate Race

Karen Testerman announced that she is dropping out of the U.S. Senate race and throwing her support to former U.S. Sen. Bob Smith to ensure only one conservative candidate is on the Republican primary ballot Sept. 9.

Testerman's statement June 13:

"During my involvement in this war for the heart and soul of America, time and again, I observe elections where candidates who fully embrace the principles of the Republican Party split the conservative vote-thus enabling the candidate who compromises our basic tenets of life, liberty and property to slide into victory. This happened recently in South Carolina and it happened in the 2012 2nd Congressional District race here in NH and it happened in 2010 when I ran for governor. I will not let it happen again.  

"The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again - expecting a different result. We MUST break the patterns of the past in order to WIN the future. At this critical juncture in preparation for the New Hampshire Republican Primary for the U.S. Senate, it is critical that only one principled conservative candidate is listed on the primary ballot.

"It is time for all of us to put aside pride and focus on our greater GOAL, that of fighting for Family, Faith and Freedom. I will not force our principle-driven primary voters to make a self-defeating choice. After much prayer and consultation, I will step aside to allow Senator Bob Smith to be the ONLY conservative name on the primary ballot.  

"Let us UNITE as one band of supporters behind Senator Bob Smith as he files to become THE conservative Republican nominee for US Senate in 2014.  

We MUST take back America!"

The U.S. Senate race is attracting national attention, as Republicans contend U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) is vulnerable. Some GOP establishment in New Hampshire have endorsed former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, now a resident of Rye, for the Republican nomination.

Other Republican candidates include Jim Rubens and Andy Martin. The state filing period closes Friday, June 13, at 5 p.m.

News of a potential Testerman drop-out was first reported Thursday by New Hampshire Journal.