Former Portsmouth Mayor Dubs Shaheen a Hometown Fav

Former Portsmouth Mayor Tom Ferrini praised U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) for fighting for funding for the new Memorial Bridge and for workers at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

Ferrini, in a conference call organized June 4 by the Shaheen campaign, said, "We in Portsmouth trust Jeanne Shaheen."

Joan Jacobs and Mil Duncan, two other Portsmouth residents, joined Ferrini on the call. Jacobs cited the new bridge, and she touted Shaheen's work on behalf of the city in getting the federal government to move forward on transferring the McIntyre Federal Building on Daniel Street to the city of Portsmouth. 

Duncan said Shaheen has a "proven track record of bipartisan" work in Washington, such as working with Maine's Republican senators to pursue funding for the Memorial Bridge between Portsmouth and Kittery, Maine.

Their message was similar to one of Shaheen's television ads, which cites the new bridge and Interstate 93 widening. 

Scott Brown of Rye, one of the Republican candidates looking to face off with Shaheen in the general election, has a campaign ad touting his Portsmouth roots, including being born at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and living for a short time as a child on Islington Street in Portsmouth.

Asked about Brown's local roots, Ferrini said that Portsmouth, with Shaheen, "is going to get A-1 service."

Duncan replied, "Scott is kind of a new man on the scene."