WEST LEBANON, N.H. -
She is called a "rising star" in the Republican party. New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte. And now the freshman Senator is believed to be on the short list as a potential running mate for Mitt Romney.
"Looking at some of the recent polls there is still a potential gender gap for Romney with women. I looked at a CNN poll and it looked like it was about 5 percentage points," said John Gregg of Valley News.
Valley News editor and political columnist, John Gregg, has covered New Hampshire politics for a decade. He says Ayotte and Romney, who has a vacation home in New Hampshire, have close ties.
"Mitt Romney and Ann Romney are comfortable with Kelly Ayotte she's telegenic, and she plays well on Fox TV," says Gregg.
But Ayotte is not well-known on the national stage. The former New Hampshire Attorney General was elected to the US Senate in 2010.
"I think part of what we are seeing right now in the news is that this is kind of a slow news time," said Linda Fowler of Dartmouth College.
Ayotte made a name for herself in the granite state, prosecuting high-profile cases like the Zantop murders and the shooting death of a New Hampshire police officer which was a capital punishment case. But Political expert Linda Fowler says Ayotte's relatively little experience in Washington-- could be a concern for the Romney campaign.
"No matter how good you are there is a seasoning that needs to take place and she hasn't had it so she would be a risky choice," said Fowler.
"I absolutely love her to death. I think she is doing one heck of a job down there," said Republican Karen Cervantes.
Karen Cervantes is loyal member of the GOP. She says Ayotte would be a great addition to the White House. Though in some ways doesn't want it to happen.
"I don't want to she her leave New Hampshire right now. And she is a new senator," said Cervantes.
