Ayotte, Guinta, other TOP GOP leaders ask for Kimball's resignation

From Mike Griffin:

New Hampshire's GOP State Chair Jack Kimble is now saying he won't quit.

Breaking from the AP... via Las Vegas Sun

The state's embattled GOP chairman says he won't resign despite pressure to quit from top party leaders.

Jack Kimball, a tea party activist, says he represents a movement that's much larger than him and that's crucial to the party's future.

Former GOP state chairman Fergus Cullen said Kimball's signing of the Libertarian petition was "a critical tipping point."

Kimball held firm even as U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte and a majority of the party's executive board called for new leadership in a letter dated Wednesday. The board will vote Sept. 1 on whether to remove Kimball.

Ayotte was joined in her call for Kimball's resignation by the party's top echelon, including congressmen Frank Guinta and Charlie Bass, Senate President Peter Bragdon, House Speaker William O'Brien and GOP national committeeman Steve Duprey.

In a joint statement, Ayotte and the others thanked Kimball for his time and effort but added, "To ensure that all of the party's energy and resources are solely focused on electing Republicans, we believe it is time to move beyond this serious distraction."

Editor's note - A little disclosure - I was a volunteer campaign worker for Frank Guinta for Congress for two weeks Oct. 2010. We hope all parties involved can come to some sort of agreement and resolve this heartwrenching situation.