Democrats trying to paint Ayotte as loyal ally of Trump

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte casts herself as independent, focused on New Hampshire over party politics in her re-election bid. But now she's trying to fight off a different label, one that Democrats will assign her at every turn: Loyal ally of Donald Trump. Ayotte's rival, Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan, pounced even before the dust had settled this past week in Trump's newly clear path to the Republican presidential nomination.

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte casts herself as independent, focused on New Hampshire over party politics in her re-election bid. But now she's trying to fight off a different label, one that Democrats will assign her at every turn: Loyal ally of Donald Trump. Ayotte's rival, Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan, pounced even before the dust had settled this past week in Trump's newly clear path to the Republican presidential nomination.…