Ayotte: From Student Congress at Nashua High to VP Shortlist

U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte was noticeably missing from the first list of speakers announced this week for the Republican National Convention that starts Aug. 27.

It led to more speculation of her standing on Mitt Romney's vice presidential shortlist. Is this rising GOP star, a former New Hampshire Attorney General, ready for orbit? 

The initial omission of her from the RNC speakers led the Boston Herald to suggest in a headline and story that the "N.H. senator moves up in VP speculation."

And New Hampshire Journal on Tuesday added to the buzz, in reference to the RNC speakers: "It's a rare scenario where it's more exclusive when you're NOT on the list."

The national media is focusing more on other "shortlisters," such as Sen. Marco Rubio, Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, and Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan. Portman and Pawlenty are campaigning for Romney later this week, The Washington Post reports.

So where's Kelly Ayotte? She is "out-of-pocket" early this week and spending time with family, a spokeswoman said.

Ayotte, who was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010, is a mother of two with her husband, Joe Daley, another Nashua native. In the Senate, she sits on the Armed Services, Budget, Commerce and Small Business committees.

In Election 2012, she has become a regular on the Sunday talk shows as a Romney campaign surrogate. Back on Nov. 20, 2011, she endorsed Romney on the steps of Nashua City Hall, calling him the "candidate ."

Wherever she goes later this year, if anywhere immediately, she sure has come a long way from the Student Congress at Nashua High School (Class of 1986).