▁up ▁in ▁the ▁hands ▁of ▁parties ▁host ile ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁U . S . ▁Senate ▁▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁election ▁ ▁Ay otte ▁res igned ▁as ▁att orney ▁general ▁on ▁July ▁ 7 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁to ▁explore ▁a ▁run ▁for ▁U . S . ▁Senate ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁The ▁crow ded ▁Republican ▁primary ▁field ▁included ▁former ▁con gression al ▁and ▁g ubern atorial ▁candidate ▁O v ide ▁M . ▁Lam ont agne , ▁business man ▁and ▁owner ▁of ▁N H 1 ▁News ▁William ▁Harrison ▁B inn ie , ▁and ▁State ▁Represent ative ▁Tom ▁Al ci ere . ▁Ay otte ▁had ▁never ▁run ▁for ▁office , ▁but ▁won ▁the ▁primary ▁election ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁In ▁the ▁general ▁election , ▁Ay otte ▁defeated ▁Democratic ▁nom ine e ▁U . S . ▁Represent ative ▁Paul ▁H odes , ▁Libert arian ▁nom ine e ▁Ken ▁B lev ens , ▁and ▁Independent ▁Chris ▁Bo oth ▁with ▁ 6 0 ▁percent ▁of ▁the ▁vote . ▁ ▁End ors ements ▁ ▁Ay otte ▁was ▁end ors ed ▁by ▁John ▁McC ain , ▁Sarah ▁Pal in , ▁John ▁Th une , ▁Tom ▁Cob urn , ▁Mitt ▁Rom ney , ▁Tim ▁P aw l enty , ▁H ale y ▁Bar bour , ▁and ▁Rick ▁Sant orum . ▁According ▁to ▁one ▁senior ▁G OP ▁a ide , ▁" The ▁addition ▁of ▁a ▁Republican ▁woman ▁from ▁New ▁England ▁who ' s