Judd Gregg in 2010 N.H. Senate Debates

On Government Reform: Earmarks legitimately direct money to worthy projects

Gregg won the money through earmarks, a process that has fallen so much out of political favor Ayotte and Hodes have taken pledges against it. Gregg has long stood by special spending requests by members of Congress as a legitimate way to direct money to worthy projects--as long as the total federal budget is conservative and the earmark process is transparent. In the past three years alone, Gregg, a member of the Appropriations Committee, won more than $278 million in earmarks by himself or teamed with others for projects. In next year's budget, Gregg has requested an additional $113.5 million.

On Government Reform: Earmarks prioritize spending that bureaucrats would miss

Gregg talked about what earmarks meant to th weather center which once stored climate records in Tupperware containers on the mountain's summit. The records now are in a digital database. Last year, 30,000 people visited the center, an interactive science museum to help people understand weather. Visitors also can talk with meteorologists on top of Mount Washington, home of some of the world's worst weather. Without the earmark dollars to help expand the center, "there's a chance nobody in Washington would even know this place existed," Gregg sai