Republican businessman Bill Binnie of Rye declared his candidacy for U.S. Senate yesterday, announcing a platform of job creation and limited government spending.

"We need jobs, and we need deficits to stop," Binnie said. "Reckless spending in Washington will destroy us."

Binnie, 51, stressed his resume as a businessman dealing with economic problems. "My experience building business, creating jobs, dealing with business challenges all over the world. Those are the skills we need to meet the challenges we face today," he said during a press conference yesterday.

But Binnie faltered when asked about noneconomic issues. When the Monitor asked him about his views on gay marriage, which New Hampshire passed into law this year, Binnie offered two seemingly contradictory statements. "Marriage should be reserved for a man and a woman," Binnie said. "The laws of New Hampshire as they exist today are appropriate."

Asked by another reporter to explain the contradiction, Binnie responded that there is a difference between a civil union and being able to marry in a church. "A church should have the right to say who should be married under scripture," Binnie said.

Beginning Jan. 1, New Hampshire law will allow gay marriage, but will also offer legal protections to churches and clergy who choose not to perform gay marriages.

After the press conference, Binnie spokesman Colin Maynard said Binnie wanted to focus on economic issues. When pressed to clarify Binnie's stance on gay marriage, Maynard said Binnie supports New Hampshire's law because it allows churches to do what they are comfortable with.

"He's excited (the law) chose to give an option for gay couples to identify themselves as married within the law, but also having an opt-out for churches," Maynard said.

Binnie said he is pro-choice on abortion, adding that he is married with four children. He also helped raise his brother's three children, after his brother died in a car crash.

On health care, Binnie said New Hampshire needs to build a public medical school, create jobs in the state and help communities underserved by doctors and dentists.

"You only add demand and have no supply, you have problems," he said.

Binnie said he plans to conduct a door-to-door campaign and establish a grassroots organization. He pledged to be "the fiscal conservative in the race."

Binnie grew up in New York, the son of parents who emigrated from Scotland when Binnie was 5 years old. Binnie earned a bachelor's degree from Harvard and an MBA from Harvard Business School. According to his campaign biography, Binnie attended Harvard on scholarship and paid his room and board by working as a mechanic.

He founded Carlisle Plastics, and at age 32, became one of the youngest CEOs on the New York Stock Exchange. He sold the company to Tyco in 1996. Now, Binnie is president of Carlisle Capital Corp. in Portsmouth, a real estate consulting and investment advisory firm.

He is also a racecar driver and owner of Binnie Motorsports. Binnie's team won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a 24-hour endurance race, in 2004 and 2007. Binnie has a racecar shop in Portsmouth, with a collection of vintage racecars.

Binnie also owns Wentworth by the Sea Country Club in Rye.

His only recent political contribution was $2,400 to the Senate campaign of businessman Tom Foley, a Connecticut Republican. In 2000, Binnie contributed $5,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee. That year, he also donated to both then-Congressman John Sununu, a Republican, and Sununu's rival, Portsmouth Democrat Martha Fuller Clark.

Former New Hampshire attorney general Kelly Ayotte, a Republican, has already declared her candidacy for the open seat being vacated by Sen. Judd Gregg. Republicans Ovide Lamontagne, Sean Mahoney and Jim Bender are also considering runs. U.S. Rep. Paul Hodes is the only declared candidate on the Democratic side.

State Republican Party Chairman John H. Sununu said yesterday that his goal is to encourage the Republican candidates to communicate with one another and maintain a "friendly atmosphere."

"We're going to have a great bunch of candidates in the primaries," Sununu said. "Bill Binnie has indicated he will run a primary with a positive message."

Eric Schultz, communications director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, issued a statement noting that Binnie's entry will make the race more difficult for Ayotte.

"She now faces a well-funded opponent willing to sink personal money into a Senate run," Schultz wrote.