New Hampshire junior Senator Kelly Ayotte was one of a dozen Republicans to break bread with President Obama last night, discussing fiscal issues facing the nation over dinner.
“I enjoyed the dinner with the President and appreciated the discussion we had about how we could work together to address the fiscal challenges facing the country,” she stated in a press release. “I hope we can continue this important dialogue.”
Ayotte was joined by fellow Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham, Tom Coburn, John McCain, Pat Toomey, Bob Corker, Ron Johnson, Saxby Chambliss, John Hoeven, Dan Coats, Richard Burr and Mike Johanns.
The move marks a shift in strategy for Obama, whose campaign styled events outside of Washington did nothing to avert sequestration. WMUR’s report noted that he is now “making rare overtures to rank-and-file Republicans in an apparent attempt to bypass GOP leaders.”