Senator Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire showed her own weaknesses during the debate on Thursday as she sought to fend off attacks on issues of inflation and the economy while trying to highlight centrist positions
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Senator Maggie Hassan, left, and Don Bolduc, a retired general.
Senator Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire clashed with her Republican challenger, retired Gen. Don Bolduc, on Thursday in a contentious midday debate as their key Senate race tightens less than two weeks before the Nov. 8 election.
Mr. Bolduc, an ardent conservative and supporter of former President Donald J. Trump, was pugnacious, blaming Ms. Hassan for inflation that he says has New Hampshire residents “choosing between heating and eating”; chiding her for the “disgraceful” tone of the campaign; saying she has empowered Mexican drug and weapons smuggling cartels; and repeatedly calling her a liar.
Ms. Hassan, a former governor who cast herself as a bipartisan moderate, was frequently on the defensive. But she avoided stumbling into the kinds of fundamental contradictions that Mr. Bolduc frequently found himself in.
During his primary campaign, Mr. Bolduc was adamant in his denial of the results of the 2020 presidential election, only to proclaim after the primary that the election was fair and free. On Thursday, he seemed to want it both ways.
Mr. Bolduc said he stood by “Granite Staters” who “can’t trust mail-in ballots,” who believe in “proven irregularities” with voting machines, and maintain that the state’s same-day voter registration rule “causes fraud.” Moments later, he said his realization that the 2020 election had been fair proved that he is willing to recognize when he is wrong.
Mr. Bolduc also contradicted himself on federal efforts to confront climate change and pollution.
He said early in the debate that the federal government should cede its authority to the states, saying “The federal government getting involved in this is a complete waste of money and a complete waste of time.” Later on, he said that the federal government should be regulating pollutants, like the so-called forever chemicals known as PFAS.
“I think it’s obvious: They should make sure the corporations don’t do it,” he said.
Republicans see the race as one of the party’s top chances to pick up a seat in 2022 by knocking off Ms. Hassan, who is in her first Senate re-election campaign. Recent polls indicate that Mr. Bolduc has gained some ground, and the main super PAC aligned with Senate Republicans recently reversed a decision to cancel $5.6 million in television ads that it had reserved in the state.
Ms. Hassan showed her own weaknesses as she sought to fend off attacks on issues of inflation and the economy while trying to highlight centrist positions.
She appeared to endorse the completion of at least parts of Mr. Trump’s border wall, saying, “In some cases, there are gaps in physical barriers that should be closed.” Ms. Hassan also said she would not vote to expand the Supreme Court but would press to impose term limits on its justices.
Source: nytimes.com
