MANCHESTER, NH — Retired Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski issued a statement related to his appearances at polling places in New Hampshire on Tuesday, saying he is not affiliated with a conservative advocacy group that was attracting celebrities to the polls. Gronkowski was one of several celebrities discovered by New Hampshire voters at the polls on Tuesday. News 9 confirmed that conservative political advocacy group Turning Point Action brought celebrities to New Hampshire as part of a get-out-the-vote effort. Many Granite State residents reported receiving text messages before Election Day teasing celebrity visits. A News 9 viewer shared a photo of Gronkowski outside Bedford High School posing for photos with spectators. >> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go. In a social media post, Gronkowski said it was “disturbing and eye-opening to see the narratives” about his visit to New Hampshire. “Regarding the images and videos circulating, we are not endorsed by or affiliated with Turning Point USA,” Gronkowski said in the post. “After stopping at Goffstown High School, we walked across the street to say hello to the excited fans who were shouting our names before heading off to the next location. We just took some photos and I signed a few things for them before we left.” Turning Point USA is a non-profit organization, while Turning Point Action is its political arm, which may engage in political activities. “We took photos with people from across the political spectrum throughout that morning,” Gronkowski said in his statement. “We can’t control what the media has done about it, so we’re here to shut down false narratives.” The future Patriots Hall of Famer was asked about it at a news conference Thursday afternoon. “I’m just here to talk about the Patriots Hall of Fame right now,” Gronkowski said. “And I just went to New Hampshire to encourage people to vote.” In addition to Gronkowski, other notable celebrities at the polls included former Patriots catcher Danny Amendola, boxers Floyd Mayweather and Mike Tyson, and former Red Sox star Kevin Youkilis. News 9 reached out to Turning Point Action on Tuesday but did not receive a response. News 9 also reached out to Gronkowski’s representatives for comment but did not hear back. On its website, Turning Point Action noted that New Hampshire was a focal point of the organization’s “Pledge to Chase 100 Votes” initiative, an effort to get low propensity voters to cast ballots. Read Gronkowski’s full statement: “It has been disturbing and eye-opening to see the narratives surrounding my visit to NH on Election Day with Camille.” “After stopping at Goffstown High School, we walked across the street to greet the excited fans who were shouting our names before heading off to the next location. We just took a few photos and I signed a few things for them before leaving. “We took photos with people from across the political spectrum throughout that morning. We can’t control what the media has done with this and what they do, which is why we are here to end the false narratives. “It’s disappointing to see an innocent moment stripped of context and turned into clickbait. Our message has always been and always will be to treat everyone with kindness and expect everyone to do the same.”
