HENNIKER, N.H. (AP) – New Hampshire Republican U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte was forced to defend her support for GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump during her debate Monday night with challenger Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan, at one point saying she would tell a child to aspire to be like the New York real estate mogul.
In one of the closest Senate races in the country, Hassan has worked to tie Ayotte to Trump, who is trailing Democrat Hillary Clinton in the state. Ayotte, who has tried to distance herself from Trump by playing up her moderate positions, has said she wouldn’t endorse him but would vote for him.
She reaffirmed that position Monday night.
But Ayotte seemed to be caught off guard when asked by one of the moderators whether she saw Trump as a role model whom she would tell a child to aspire to. At first, she sidestepped the question by saying she would tell a child to aspire to be the best person they can be and seek to run for the presidency. When she was asked again, she said she believed Trump “can serve for president” and “so absolutely I would do that.”
Another moderator then pressed Ayotte to explain why she wouldn’t endorse Trump if she felt that way.