Bolduc, Hassan Pull No Punches

By Lloyd Jones
THE CONWAY DAILY SUN
CONWAY — U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and Republican challenger Don Bolduc don’t agree on much, and that came through loud and clear in their debate Tuesday in the Valley Vision studio in Center Conway.

Moderated by George Epstein, town and school moderator for Madison, the hourlong debate — their first in the state — aired over Valley Vision’s Facebook page and will air again today at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Channel 3.

Bolduc was on a mission to show “Granite Staters aren’t better off than two years ago.”

“I’ve visited every town and city in this state,” he said. “In every political party, every age group, demographic, you name it, I have made contact with them. And they have told me that we are in trouble.”

Hassan touted her record.

“I’ve worked across the aisle to expand high-speed internet capabilities to our communities, to fix our roads and bridges to boost manufacturing and to make sure that our veterans get the support that they’ve earned and deserve,” she said.

“And I have stood up to big oil and big pharma to take the necessary steps so that we can do the work to begin lowering costs for Granite Staters. I have a record of delivering results for New Hampshire.”

Epstein asked the candidates how to reduce the deficit.

“We’ve reduced the federal deficit by half in the last year,” Hassan said. “And that’s a really important note. Let’s also talk about the fact that one of the ways we could reduce the deficit is stopping the huge tax breaks that Don Bolduc supports for big oil and big pharma that cost the federal government billions of dollars.”

She added: “The other thing Don Bolduc isn’t really saying but you all can check out for yourself on Bolducfacts.com is that he wants to eliminate Social Security and cut Medicare by trillions of dollars.”

Bolduc responded: “These aren’t Don Bolduc’s facts.com, they’re Maggie Hassan lies.com and I have never said that I would get rid of Social Security. … Those are lies and they got to be called out as lies and you have to do your research.”

He added: “I’m going to save Social Security by stopping Congress from stealing from it like it’s been, and putting the money back, which is the people’s money, not the government’s money. It’s not an entitlement, that’s your money.”

Both were asked the role of the U.S. Senate in “managing, controlling abortion in the United States.”

“This is about women’s fundamental freedom, and our capacity to be included in our democracy,” Hassan said. “I think women have the capacity to make sure that they can make their own decisions. They have the moral compass to make their own decisions about their health, their reproductive future, and their lives. I think government has no role here.”

She added: “This is a major difference between my opponent and me. He’s supported the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, and said we should rejoice at it. And his record makes clear he would be a yes vote for national abortion ban.”

Bolduc said: “The role of the U.S. Senate federal government is not to be involved. And that’s what the Dobbs decision did. It didn’t reverse Roe v. Wade. Right. Once again, the senator should know that, she’s there. … She knows the difference. It only moved it down to the state level. And our governor and our Legislature passed the law. And I support that law. I do not support a federal ban. … That’s what I support.”

The two also traded jabs on election funding.

“Mitch McConnell is spending $60 million in dark money against me in this campaign, and these dark money interests need to be reined in,” Hassan said. “We need to have campaign finance reform, something that Don Bolduc does not support.”

“Of course it worries me, and she’s participated in it for six years,” Bolduc said. “Talk about the, you know, calling the kettle black here. My goodness, that’s all she’s done is politicize stuff. She votes with Joe Biden 100 percent of the time, 96 percent of the time with her party and with Chuck Schumer, that leaves little consideration for Granite Staters. … She’s taken money from every special interest and lobbyist group there is, over $23 million. … This is a politician at work, twisting things.”

Hassan responded: “What you didn’t hear Don Bolduc say was that he does not support the Disclose Act, which would tell people who it is who’s contributing to those funds that air all those ads.

“And secondly, that he doesn’t support overturning the Citizens United case, which is what allows these dark money groups to have this outsized role in politics, drowning out your voice. I support overturning Citizens United, I support the Disclose Act, which Mitch McConnell just blocked in the United States Senate,” Hassan said.

“I’ll be glad to show you where every dollar comes from, she won’t,” Bolduc replied.

Epstein asked Bolduc about the 2020 presidential election and his stance up until last month that he contended that Donald Trump won. “Do you believe that position undermines America’s democracy?”

Bolduc ducked the question, replying, “What Sen. Hassan will do is federalize elections, and she’s on the record for that. She wants to get rid of the Electoral College, and she’s on the record for that in a town hall. And oh, by the way, she would support the Democratic Party’s vision to get rid of the New Hampshire first-in-the-nation primary status. All those things are a no-go for me.”

Epstein asked Hassan about President Biden. “Is he able to lead this country at this point? Does he have the capacity to do that? And should he resign today as President, the United States?

“I have spent ample time with the president to know that he is quick and sharp and capable,” Hassan said, adding, “I have spoken up against some of his policies and pushed him hard on everything from Afghanistan to the border,” she said. “But at the end of the day, what people need to know is Don Bolduc is an election denier and that undermines our democracy.”

These articles are being shared by partners in The Granite State News Collaborative. For more information visit collaborativenh.org.