CONCORD – Calling Hillary Clinton "a role model," New Hampshire House Majority Leader Mary Jane Wallner yesterday endorsed the New York senator for President.

Wallner, a 14-term Concord Democrat, said she had been ready to endorse Clinton "for the past two or three years." She is the first top state lawmaker to endorse a Democratic Presidential candidate.

Wallner told reporters the country "is really ready for a woman President." But she said she is backing Clinton primarily because the senator is "the most qualified of the candidates. She has the experience and wisdom to lead this country."

The Wallner endorsement came as the Clinton campaign yesterday rolled out a national "Women for Hillary" program to "mobilize women voters around a massive outreach effort on the Internet and local events held by Hillary supporters," the campaign said.

Clinton outlined the effort in a speech to EMILY's List, a national political committee that raises money for Democratic female candidates who favor abortion rights.

She announced she is re-introducing the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would ensure that women are paid the same as men who do equal work.

Campaign senior adviser Ann Lewis, who is overseeing the effort, said in a telephone interview her goal "is to get the rest of the country to catch up to New Hampshire. You have understood the value of electing women leaders for some time."

Lewis said the campaign hopes to capitalize on "the natural networks of women leaders" in the state. She said the campaign will tell key women, "You are leaders in your community and workplace. We know you talk to other women and hopefully you will talk about this campaign."

She called Wallner "a great example of the kind of leader" the campaign hopes to tap for the outreach effort.

In a recent ABC News/Washington Post poll, Clinton received the support of 40 percent of Democratic women, compared to 22 percent for Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, 14 percent for former Vice President Al Gore, who is not a candidate, and 10 percent for former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards.

According to the New York Times, Clinton campaign advisers "estimate that 60 percent of voters in the 2008 Democratic primary will be women, and their goal is to win at least twice as many female votes as any of Mrs. Clinton's rivals."

Wallner, who endorsed current Democratic National Chairman Howard Dean for President in 2004, said Clinton is "passionately and personally committed to improving child care in this country.

"I have been in the child advocacy world a long time," said Wallner, a member of the board of NH Healthy Kids, which oversees the state's children's health care programs. "I bring to the table for Hillary probably more in the child advocacy world than I would being the majority leader."

She said she hopes to promote Clinton's candidacy among other child care activists and organizations.

Wallner is also executive director of the Blueberry Express Day Care Center in Pittsfield and for two locations of the non-profit Merrimack Valley Day Care Service in Concord.