ROCHESTER — The Professional Firefighters of New Hampshire on Tuesday formally endorsed U.S. Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter in her campaign for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives.

"Our members are middle-class, hard-working people, and Carol represents us and our interests," said Bill McQuillen, the secretary-treasurer for PFNH.

PFNH voted unanimously to endorse Shea-Porter back in May, McQuillen said, citing her work to defend the nation's working class families as the primary reason for the firefighters' overwhelming support.

Shea-Porter and members of PFNH traveled around the state Tuesday, formally announcing the endorsement at PFNH events in Laconia, Manchester and Rochester. District 6 state Senate candidate Jackie Cilley was also endorsed by PFNH at the event in Rochester, held at Granite Steak and Grill on Route 11.

McQuillen said this upcoming election is all about the economy, and, in times like these, Main Street USA begins to feel the crunch, which can lead to municipalities cutting public safety budgets. He added Shea-Porter will fight for Main Street by opposing Wall Street — evidenced by her two no votes on the federal government's financial industry bailout package on both of its trips through the House — and keep the best interests of the middle class close to her heart.

"Right after (Shea-Porter) was elected, a group of us went down to Washington to try and see her," he said. "When we were having trouble getting a meeting, they told us we could meet with her one morning for coffee."

McQuillen said most times "coffee" means a short, 15-minute meeting, one where, as soon as the constituent begins to talk about the issues, he or she is rushed out. However, he said such was not the case with Shea-Porter.

"Instead, she showed up and unlocked the office for us, then brought us down to a cafe for breakfast," he said. "And to give you an idea of what kind of person she is, all she wanted to talk about was the middle class and the hard-working people on her staff and how they deserve to be represented."

According to Shea-Porter, receiving the endorsement of PFNH is an honor for her, and an endorsement that could mean quite a bit in the Nov. 4 election.

"This endorsement is such an honor to me because firefighters have the great credibility in the community," she said. "If people see that the firefighters think someone is all right, well then they must be all right."

Shea-Porter said, if re-elected, she would continue to fight for the middle class, or what she calls "the bottom 99 percent."

"I'm from the middle class, I get it," she said. "We're not getting our share of the American dream anymore. We haven't asked for much, just to do a job, make a decent wage, be able to afford health care when we're sick — we had it before, we should have it again."

Shea-Porter said that with the support of the firefighters and all other middle-class voters, she hopes to be able to "make the changes this country needs."