Varsalone to Manage Ayotte Senate Bid?

Recent news reports have Rob Varsalone in line to manage Kelly Ayotte’s expected senate campaign.

Varsalone is a veteran of New Hampshire politics, having served in the State House of Representatives, as strategist for Craig Benson’s gubernatorial campaign and later as his political adviser in the governor’s office, as well as with both the Republican National Committee and New Hampshire GOP.

Varsalone is a close Ayotte friend and ever since rumors of an Ayotte run started circulating, there has been speculation that Varsalone would be involved. Indeed, sources say that the two spoke frequently as Ayotte thought through a potential run. There is just one problem with the reports that Varsalone is in line to run the campaign.

Sources tell NowHampshire.com he is in Iraq.

Since leaving the Granite State, Varsalone has spent the last few years working for a State Department-funded NGO. According to his official bio on file with the State Department, Varsalone speaks several languages and in addition to Iraq has served in Afghanistan, where President Hamid Karzai made him the first foreigner to receive the Order of Ghazi Mir Bacha Khan, the country’s highest civilian honor, and also in Pakistan, where news reports have him being tossed out of the country by Pakistan’s intelligence agencies.

Our sources say that Varsalone will be in Iraq for the foreseeable future and therefore not likely to return to New Hampshire to run Ayotte’s campaign.