An investment manager. A dentist. A veteran state lawmaker. Those are just a few of the potential candidates lining up to succeed Congressman John Sununu. As NHPR?s Trish Anderton reports, a spirited battle for the U.S. House seat is taking form.
SEVERAL REPUBLICANS WERE WAITING FOR JOHN SUNUNU TO ANNOUNCE HIS PLANS BEFORE THEY EXPRESSED THEIR INTEREST IN HIS SEAT. WHEN SUNUNU FORMALLY DECLARED HIS INTENTION TO RUN FOR THE U-S SENATE, EXETER DENTIST MIKE CHEMA WASTED NO TIME. CHEMA PASSED OUT CAMPAIGN FLIERS AT SUNUNU?S PRESS CONFERENCE ON MONDAY.
We?ve been running since february and defining our issues of military defense, veterans affairs, healthcare and education accountability.
CHEMA IS AN AIR FORCE AND ARMY VETERAN. HE SAYS THAT BACKGROUND MAKES HIM UNIQUELY PREPARED TO DEAL WITH THE MILITARY CHALLENGES THE U-S NOW FACES. OTHER POTENTIAL CANDIDATES AGREE NATIONAL DEFENSE IS THE MAJOR ISSUE OF THE DAY. BEYOND THAT, EACH TAKES A DIFFERENT SLANT ON WHAT THE FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT NEEDS. JEB BRADLEY IS A 6-TERM STATE REPRESENTATIVE FROM WOLFEBORO. HE?S BEST KNOWN AS A KEY ARCHITECT OF THE STATE?S ELECTRIC DEREGULATION PLAN. BRADLEY SAYS HIS MAIN STRENGTH IS WHAT HE CALLS A RECORD OF PROBLEM SOLVING IN THE LEGISLATURE.
?: I think exper in this biz is very imp, I?ve had it here in this state, and I think it would serve me well if I?m able to win this election.
BRADLEY FACES COMPETITION FROM FELLOW REPUBLICAN FRAN WENDELBOE, A 3-TERM STATE REPRESENTATIVE FROM NEW HAMPTON? IF BRADLEY PORTRAYS HIMSELF AS AN EFFECTIVE POLITICAL OPERATOR, WENDELBOE IS POSITIONING HERSELF AS MORE OF AN OUTSIDER - AS SHE SAYS, NOT PART OF THE BELTWAY CROWD. SHE?S BEEN A LEADING CRITIC OF THE STATE SUPREME COURT AND CITES COURT REFORM AS ONE OF HER MAJOR EFFORTS IN THE HOUSE.
009 04 I?ve been a big advocate of, its not quite finished yet, hopefully this we?re we?ll get to that, I?ve been very involved in heatlhcare issues, competition in health care particularly
ALONG WITH THE TWO CURRENT STATE REPRESENTATIVES WHO?VE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THE SEAT, THERE?S FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE BILL CAHILL. CAHILL IS A SEACOAST-AREA BUSINESSMAN WHO?S ALSO SERVED ON THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. HE?S A BOARD MEMBER OF THE U-S CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND HE EMPHASIZES HIS BUSINESS ACUMEN.
My exper in small business I think gives me a leg up on some of the other cands. I?m interested in tax policy and econ growth and job opportunities for the district.
THEN THERE?S THE SELF-STYLED HIGH-TECH CANDIDATE. ENGINEERING AND BUSINESS CONSULTANT GARY HOFFMAN HAS NEVER HELD POLITICAL OFFICE. BUT THE FORMER SANDERS EXECUTIVE SAYS HE BRINGS OTHER IMPORTANT EXPERIENCE TO THE TABLE.
I have a very strong tech and biz backgrd and I think it can be tremendously useful to the people of new hampshire because we are a technology based state
OTHER REPUBLICANS BEING MENTIONED FOR THE RACE INCLUDE MANCHESTER STATE SENATOR TED GATSAS, BELKNAP COUNTY COMMISSIONER CHRISTOPHER BOOTHBY, AND PORTSMOUTH BUSINESSMAN SEAN MAHONEY. GOP CONSULTANT FERGUS CULLEN SAYS IT WOULDN?T BE SURPRISING IF THE CROWDED FIELD LEADS TO A TIGHT RACE. CULLEN POINTS OUT PREVIOUS OPEN REPUBLICAN PRIMARIES IN THE DISTRICT HAVE FEATURED CLOSE THREE-WAY FINISHES.
CULLEN
The last two races came down to just a couple of hundred votes. I mean, that?s extraordinary.
THE DEMOCRATS, ON THE OTHER HAND, APPEAR TO HAVE UNITED BEHIND ONE CANDIDATE. STATE REPRESENTATIVE MARTHA FULLER CLARK OF PORTSMOUTH WAS HER PARTY?S NOMINEE FOR THE SEAT LAST YEAR. SHE FOUGHT SUNUNU TO A CLOSER FINISH THAN MANY HAD EXPECTED. LIKE HER COUNTERPARTS IN THE GOP, CLARK SAYS NATIONAL DEFENSE IS HER TOP ISSUE, BUT OTHER CONCERNS REMAIN.
Education, healthcare, enviro, protecting soc sec and medicare ? those issues haven?t gone away, in fact they may become more acute as we enter into what looks like a period of economic downturn.
ALSO RUNNING UNOPPOSED IS LIBERTARIAN DAN BELFORTI. THE PORTSMOUTH INVESTMENT MANAGER SAYS HIS CAMPAIGN WILL FOCUS ON SMALLER GOVERNMENT AND SCHOOL CHOICE. BELFORTI BELIEVES HIS PARTY?S FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE, SOCIALLY LIBERAL APPROACH REFLECTS WHAT NEW HAMPSHIRE WANTS. BUT HE CONCEDES HE HAS AN UPHILL BATTLE AS A THIRD-PARTY CANDIDATE.
I?m hoping the voters, especially young ones who haven?t gotten stuck in that pattern of voting just repub or dem, open their minds and hearts to something new and discover the libertarian party as I did.
NO REPUBLICAN HAS FORMALLY LAUNCHED A CAMPAIGN FOR THE CONGRESSIONAL SEAT YET. SOME ARE EXPECTED TO OVER THE NEXT MONTH, WHILE OTHERS WILL ANNOUNCE EXPLORATORY COMMITTEES. THEY?LL ALSO BEGIN TROTTING OUT LISTS OF KEY SUPPORTERS. BUT GOP CONSULTANT FERGUS CULLEN THE MOST TELLING DATE WILL BE JANUARY 31ST. THAT?S THE FEDERAL FILING DEADLINE THAT WILL REVEAL THE STRENGTH OF EACH CAMPAIGN?S FINANCES. FOR NHPR NEWS I?M
