GOP Targets Manchester State Senate Seat

Doug Kruse and Betsy DeVries don’t see eye-to-eye over what steps the state should take during difficult economic times.

That split was clear when the two candidates faced off in a debate at St. Anselm College last week.

At the time, the two were debating the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI.

Last session, lawmakers passed a bill that put New Hampshire in a ten-state compact to buy and sell carbon emission allowances.

All along, supporters and opponents agreed joining the initiative would increase costs for ratepayers.

Kruse says, for that reason, RGGI is unacceptable.

26:43 beyond the impact it has on families, you have to think about the impact it has on businesses. Think about Elliot Hospital. Imagine how much electricity EH uses. And when you have an increase that’s going to be 4.2 instead of 2.9, at a time when the economy is struggling, you are going to have a lot of businesses having a lot of difficulty having to pay for electricity rates...that might mean they have to cut back on benefits.

Senator DeVries, on the other hand, told the audience you can’t only look at the short-term implications.

24:51 we are going to see increases b/c we are part of that buying group whether we belong to RGGI or not. But now that we have signed into that, we are going to see the benefits of RGGI.

Benefits, she said, like reducing emissions, creating an estimated 800 jobs and collecting over $2 million dollars that goes for weatherization and heating assistance.

Whether it’s RGGI, taxes, or the state budget, Kruse has consistently forced DeVries to defend her record.

In particular, he’s attacked the Democrat for her position on a tax cap in Manchester.

Earlier this year, the New Hampshire Advantage Coalition urged a number of communities, including the Queen City, to limit government spending.

Under the proposal, budget increases couldn’t have exceeded the rate of inflation plus growth, unless a two-thirds majority supported an increase.

But city Alderman voted to delay a vote on the plan until next year.

DeVries, the Ward 8 Alderman, voted with the majority.

T.754
:31 the choice in this election could not be clearer....she voted for five consecutive city tax increases. And blocked the mayor’s first term tax cut. And she voted 13 times, in eight hours, to prevent you the tax payer from having a say on the spending cap this November in Manchester.

It’s not clear how much traction Kruse is getting on the tax cap.

But some DeVries supporters believe frustration over spending- on the local and the state level- could spur Republican turnout in the district.

The New Hampshire Advantage Coalition plans to keep the tax cap issue front and center through Election Day.

That’s not the best news for DeVries, where Democrats only narrowly outnumber Republicans.

T.753
7:35 I knew as an Alderman that was a very tough vote to take. b/c I knew that it would impact my Senate race...

But DeVries says, just like with RGGI, the issue is more complicated than it sounds.

8:08... the way the tax cap question was written, each year we have to reauthorize any bonding that has already taking place...and that puts a big question mark on any investor out there who might be thinking about our municipal bonds, b/c it means we may undo with a future vote, actions we are doing today.

There’s a lot of attention on this race.

A number of political observers agree it’s one of the closest races in the state Senate this year.

Both candidates have campaigned with party luminaries.

U.S. Senator Judd Gregg spoke at a fundraiser for Kruse earlier this month.

DeVries- a retired firefighter- is getting help from Governor Lynch and the Professional Fire Fighters of New Hampshire.

Despite the constant criticism, DeVries says she believes she people in her district understand- no matter how tough the economic times- government must provide some basic services.

11:33...expanding the healthy kids program, bringing health insurance to low income children...you can not look at one moment in time here today, you have to look at the long term future of this state....I think we have invested in our state.

While it’s impossible to predict who will win the District 18 race later tomorrow, it is safe to say no voter is going to confuse the two candidates.

For NHPR News, I’m DG.