New Hampshire Primary Source gives you breaking and behind-the-scenes news and analysis on all things political in the Granite State. John DiStaso is the most experienced political writer in the state and has been writing a weekly column since 1982. He is a recipient of a 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the New Hampshire Press Association.To sign up for WMUR's weekly New Hampshire Primary Source and political email newsletter, click here.BACKING AMY. She may not be registering strongly in the polls at this early point in the campaign, but Amy Klobuchar is impressing Granite Staters who are plugged into the New Hampshire Democratic electorate and are known for working in the proverbial trenches for presidential candidates.The Minnesota senator today is rolling out endorsements of nine key first-primary state Democrats – the most impressive list of endorsements by any presidential candidate so far in the campaign. And New Hampshire Primary Source has an exclusive first look.Backing Klobuchar are Executive Councilor Debora Pignatelli, former Attorney General Joe Foster, former Ambassador Jim Smith, longtime activist and former state Rep. Ricia McMahon, former gubernatorial chief of staff Rich Sigel, attorneys and activists Helen Honorow, Michael Atkins and Jim Callahan, and business executive Tom Silvia.“We are honored to welcome this group of esteemed individuals to Sen. Klobuchar’s team,” said Scott Merrick, New Hampshire state campaign director. “They are all proven leaders in both their professional lines of work and communities in which they reside.“They all believe in Amy’s ambitious and optimistic agenda, but more importantly, they recognize her unique qualifications to win both the primary and the general election.”Klobuchar will return to the state Saturday for three stops.She will be joined by U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster in leading a roundtable discussion on her policy priorities for seniors at Granite Ledges in Concord, at 9 a.m.Klobuchar will then be featured at two house parties hosted by two other top Democrats.Former state Senate President Sylvia Larsen will hold a house party at her home, 23 Kensington Road, Concord, at 11 a.m..Former state senator and House Democratic Leader Peter Burling and retired Superior Court Judge Jean Burling will host Klobuchar at their Austin Farm in Cornish at 2 p.m.Praise for candidatePignatelli, of Nashua, is currently serving her fifth term on the Executive Council, representing District 5 and is a former five-term state senator and three-term state House member. She is the most senior elected New Hampshire official to make an endorsement in the campaign to date.“I’m supporting Amy because she answers questions directly and honestly,” Pignatelli told us in an interview. “She doesn’t pander and she doesn’t bash other candidates. Her work as the lead prosecutor in a very large county attorney’s office is an example of her executive experience.“As a U.S. senator, she has been very responsible and clear-headed. I like the way she handled the hearing on Supreme Court nominee (Brett) Kavanaugh and I’m happy she voted against him. She’s smart and has a great sense of humor. She’s strong and tough-minded and would be a very effective president.”Pignatelli also said Klobuchar “does her homework. She is a champion for the middle class. She’s committed to addressing climate change and gun violence prevention and many other things that I believe in.”A former supporter of Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, Al Gore and Richard Gephardt in past primaries, Pignatelli said Klobuchar has plenty of time to make an impression on Granite State voters.Foster, also of Nashua, is director of the corporate department and chairs the bankruptcy practice group at the McLane Middleton law firm in Manchester. He served as attorney general from 2013-2017, appointed by former Gov. Maggie Hassan, and previously was a state senator for three terms and a member of the House for three terms.“I’m looking for someone who can defeat President Trump and I’m convinced Amy Klobuchar can do that,” Foster told New Hampshire Primary Source. “I’m also convinced that when she becomes president, she’ll be able to unite the country. Her approach to issues is to address the problem, find solutions that will ultimately be adopted by Congress.“It’s great to have ideas, but if those ideas are not accepted broadly by Americans, it won’t do much good. Gridlock has gone on for too long and we have to have leaders who address our problems and I think she can do that,” Foster said. “Her approach to health care is spot on. She thinks about the issues and understands them and is thoughtful in her approach – and she listens.”McMahon, of Sutton, has been deeply involved in Democratic politics in the Granite State for several decades. She was one of President Bill Clinton’s original supporters in New Hampshire, co-chaired his campaign in the first-primary state and was a delegate to the 1992 Democratic National Convention. She then chaired Clinton general election campaign in the state.McMahon backed Hillary Clinton in 2008 and 2016, and John Kerry in 2004.McMahon was a senior adviser in the Clinton White House Office of Drug Control Policy and a senior advisor to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She is the former president of G2M Communication, former three-term member of the Sutton Select Board and a former executive director of the New Hampshire Democratic Party. She also was a member of the faculty in residence for the New England Women’s Leadership program at Saint Anselm College.McMahon said she has met virtually all of the candidates, including the “incredible women” who are running. “It was a difficult decision, but I decided that an important criteria is that we need to have someone who can win the states that were lost in 2016 – including Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida,” she said. “I also believe that Amy can be commander-in-chief. She has the most experience in terms of legislation and as a prosecutor and she has a broad sense of governing and the rule of law, as well as a great sense of humor.”McMahon said she is not concerned that Klobuchar has not yet emerged in the top tier in polling, recalling past elections, such as Bill Clinton’s second-place finish in 1992, in which candidates barely registered early in the campaign. Sigel, of Manchester, was chief of staff to Gov. Jeanne Shaheen and John Lynch and has advised numerous campaigns. He is currently a senior adviser at McLane Middleton Government and Public Affairs in Manchester.“Our country is divided as a result of having a president who has taken us to the darkest places,” Sigel said. “I’ve really been impressed with Amy Klobuchar as someone who can restore integrity, decency and hope and will bring us back together as Americans. She will champion our Democratic values but also has the ability to speak to a broad cross-section of the country. That’s what it’s going to take to win and also to heal our country.”Smith, of Salem, who heads Crosswinds Strategic Consulting, was U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia during Barack Obama’s presidency. The retired U.S. Air Force Brigadier General flew combat missions during Operation Desert Storm and was a squadron commander. Honorow, of Nashua, a family law attorney, has been involved in many community organizations and projects, including former president of the Rotary Club of Nashua West and a member of the board of Gateways Community Services. She is also a member of the Nutt Hospital board of trustees and the state Board of Education. Atkins, of Hancock, was a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 2004 and 2008 and was an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve, while Callahan, also of Peterborough, advises businesses, financial institutions, and is a former partner of the Nashua law firm of Sullivan and Greg. He is also a trustee and clerk of Monadnock Community Hospital.Silvia, of Amherst, is a partner at Vinebrook Homes real estate and at Fenix Partners investment. He is a member of the board of the Currier Museum of Art. KEY ENDORSEMENT FOR HARRIS. Sen. Kamala Harris’ showing at the June 27 Democratic presidential debate continues to draw attention to her campaign, but state Rep. Patty Cornell of Manchester said her decision to endorse Harris this week was gradual and cumulative. Click here.PAPPAS, KUSTER LOADING UP WITH CASH. They won’t be up for reelection for more than a year, but Democratic U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and U.S. Reps. Annie Kuster and Chris Pappas are following their usual fundraising practices – loading up with cash well in advance. Click here.HUGE EVENT. The state Democratic Party has invited all the presidential candidates to speak at its biggest event of the election cycle – the state party convention on Sept. 7. Click here.DISTINGUISHING HIMSELF FROM THE FRONTRUNNER. As former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper resets his campaign after a tough first half of 2019, he’s wears like a badge of honor the boos and jeers he received last month from the sharply progressive crowd at the California Democratic Party convention. Click here.PLATFORM CHANGE TO BE PROPOSED. The chairman of the New Hampshire Log Cabin Republicans says the group’s board wants to broaden the state Republican Party’s attraction to LGBT conservatives by eliminating a party platform plank recognizing marriage as being only between one man and one woman. Click here.STEPANEK REACTS. State Republican Party Chair Steve Stepanek made his position clear regarding President Donald Trump’s controversial tweets described by critics and many media outlets as racist. Click here.WOMEN FOR TRUMP. Former congressional candidate and state Rep. Lynne Blankenbeker has received a key advisory post in the President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign. Click here.DAY OF ACTION. Former Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign on Saturday will hold a national “day of action” with volunteers canvassing neighborhoods trying to recruit supporters. Click here.REMEMBERING CONNOLLY. At a memorial service held Saturday for the late Mark Connolly, the launch of a scholarship fund in his honor was announced. Click here.RETURNING TO NH. Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro will make his first visit to New Hampshire since May when he arrives in the state Thursday afternoon. Click here.MESSNER MOVES TOWARD RUN. Republican Bryant “Corky” Messner has taken a significant step toward his long-expected entrance into the U.S. Senate race. Click here.(John DiStaso can be reached at jdistaso@hearst.com or distasoj@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jdistaso and on Facebook: Facebook.com/JohnDiStasoWMUR.)