Vince Lombardi once said that ‘fatigue makes cowards of us all.’ What we’re seeing is that most of the GOP doesn’t need to be tired to be cowards. It is a trait hard-wired in their DNA.

Case in point: [mc_name name=’Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’A000368′ ].

The top Republican statewide office-holder in the first in the nation primary state has some questions for Sen. Ted Cruz about his plan to block federal funding of Planned Parenthood.

“Given the challenges and threats we face at home and abroad, I oppose risking a government shutdown, particularly when it appears there is no chance of achieving a successful result,” Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., wrote to the GOP presidential hopeful from Texas. “Nevertheless, as I understand it, you have been circulating a letter to our colleagues asking them to oppose any government funding bill that continues to authorize funding for Planned Parenthood.”

Ayotte, who is one of the more vulnerable GOP incumbents on the ballot in 2016, makes clear in the letter that she concurs with Cruz on the disturbing nature of secret video recordings about Planned Parenthood, but she offers serious doubts about his tactics.

“How do we get 60 votes? And if for some reason there were 60 votes, how do we get 67 votes in the Senate to overcome a Presidential veto?” Ayotte asks in the missive sent Thursday, which was first obtained by New Hampshire’s influential ABC affiliate WMUR.

…

“During the last government shutdown, I repeatedly asked you what your strategy for success was when we did not have the votes to achieve the goal of defunding Obamacare, but I did not receive an answer,” Ayotte wrote.

Here you’re seeing a couple of talking point the people never tire of using. First, “where do we get 60 votes?” Second, “Shutdown!”

This is how a majority acts when it has no idea of how to win. Does anyone think that choking off judicial appointments to certain states wouldn’t have a salutary effect on getting past 60 votes and making Obama veto it? And there is no reason to shut the government down. The Senate could send forward clean continuing resolutions from now until the next president is inaugurated and keep the government running. This would have the effect of keeping abortion, which is a winning issue, on the front burner as is actually shrank the size of government.

The greater point is that if you don’t bother contesting anything you can never win anything.

Ayotte writing such a juvenile and snippy letter to a colleague shows her own political weakness. She’s anticipating a tough re-election fight (possibly because she has given New Hampshire Republicans nothing to be impressed with) and Planned Parenthood will be running an ad opposing her:

The women’s health organization has been the focus of controversy after videos were released showing Planned Parenthood officials discussing the donation and selling of fetal tissue. Supporters of Planned Parenthood said the videos were deceptively edited to smear the organization, but critics have used the videos in a push to defund it.

The ad, which will air in a short-run buy, has a familiar but time-tested approach.

“First, Kelly Ayotte voted to defund Planned Parenthood, risking health care for millions of women,” the ad says. “Now, Republicans want to shut down the government to block funding for Planned Parenthood.”

Rather that run with an issue that has widespread support, and maybe showcase the CMP videos, Ayotte has elected to write… and have leaked… a letter attacking [mc_name name=’Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’C001098′ ].

Thomas Paine once warned us about “sunshine soldiers and summer patriots” who are there with you so long as being there doesn’t require either effort or risk. That, in a nutshell, is what New Hampshire has in Ayotte.