U-S SENATOR BOB SMITH AND HIS CHALLENGER, CONGRESSMAN JOHN SUNUNU, HAVE BEEN HIGHLIGHTING THEIR DIFFERENCES IN RECENT DEBATES. SOME AREAS OF CONFLICT HAVE BEEN IMMIGRATION POLICY AND TRADE WITH CHINA. WHILE VOTERS MAY STILL BE SORTING OUT THEIR ALLEGIANCES, A NUMBER OF THE INTEREST GROUPS WHO TRACK POLITICIANS ON CAPITOL HILL HAVE ALREADY DECIDED WHICH CANDIDATE THEY FAVOR. NHPR?S TRISH ANDERTON REPORTS.
IF YOU WANT TO HEAR A GROWN MAN GUSH, TALK TO MIKE HAMMOND OF THE GROUP GUN OWNERS OF AMERICA ABOUT SENATOR BOB SMITH.
gun owners has worked extensively with smith who?s been responsible for every second amendment breakthrough in the last ten years in us senate. He as far as we?re concenred is an absolute hero.
HAMMOND CREDITS SMITH WITH DEFENDING GUN SHOWS, AND FIGHTING TO KEEP GUN OWNERS NAMES FROM BEING PLACED IN A NATIONAL REGISTRY. HE SLAMS SUNUNU FOR SUPPORTING MEASURES SUCH AS INSTANT BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR GUN BUYERS, IN THE WAKE OF THE COLUMBINE HIGH SCHOOL SCHOOTINGS OF 1999.
17 14 sununu has by and large done what he?s told. But in 106tht cong when all these stand for nothing congressmen were running around saying we had to pass gun control, sununu was happy to vote for it
THAT PASSION FOR SMITH CARRIER OVER TO OTHER VALUES AND LIFESTYLE ORIENTED GROUPS. JIM BACKLIN OF THE CHRISTIAN COALITION SAYS HIS SUPPORTERS ARE LONGTIME FANS.
19 50 our activists have really like him over the years. Even after he left the party, they really liked him (laughs).
SMITH HAS SCORED 100-PERCENT ON CHRISTIAN COALITION?S VOTING TALLY FOR THE PAST 6 YEARS. SUNUNU HASN?T BEEN FAR BEHIND, AVERAGING IN THE MID-90s. BUT THE COALITION IS STILL SMARTING OVER SUNUNU?S VOTE ON THE CONTROVERSIAL NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS FOUR YEARS AGO.
XC was heavily involved w trying to stop funding for NEA after they had various pieces of art mocking christianity. So that was a very disappointing vote in 1998 by cong sununu.
IF IDEOLOGICAL GROUPS ARE MORE ENTHUSED ABOUT SMITH, BUSINESS GROUPS TEND TO BACK SUNUNU. BILL MILLER OF THE U-S CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS BEEN WATCHING THE RACE CLOSELY. HE DIDN?T LIKE SMITH?S RECENT ARGUMENTS AGAINST TRADE WITH CHINA.
12 00 I did watch the debate the other night when the apple farmer talked about increasing export oppties. I think sen smith does not have quite the same grasp and understanding of the imp of exports and how imp they are to american biz and farmers including in new hampshrie.
CITIZENS FOR A SOUND ECONOMY OR CSE ALSO FAVORS SUNUNU. CSE SUPPORTS LOWER TAXES AND LESS GOVERNMENT. VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS MARTY REISER SAYS THE CONGRESSMAN HAS BEEN A CHAMPION ON ISSUES LIKE OVERHAULING THE FEDERAL TAX CODE.
Sununu has fought pretty hard to make sure house votes every year on sunsetting the code and he has advocated replacing the code with one fair flat tax. He?s also been at forefront on budget process reform.
SMITH?S SUPPORT FOR PROJECTS LIKE RESTORING THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES HAS WON HIM PRAISE FROM ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS. BUT IT?S ALIENATED PROPERTY RIGHTS GROUPS SUCH AS THE AMERICAN LAND RIGHTS ASSOCIATION. CHUCK CUSHMAN IS THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
10 20 sununu has been more supportive and has higher raking on our scorecard. Smith recently supported bill htat would have supported giant land grab called conservation reinvestment act and a massive wildlife land acquisition pgm in his committee so we were very upset about that.
THE CANDIDATES THEMSELVES REFLECT THOSE ALLEGIANCES. SMITH EMPHASIZES HIS EMOTIONAL SIDE, PORTRAYING HIMSELF AS A KIND OF FREE-SWINGING IDEOLOGICAL FIGHTER. SUNUNU TOUTS HIS EFFECTIVENESSS AT WORKING WITHIN THE SYSTEM TO CUT TAXES AND REIN IN SPENDING. FOR PRIMARY VOTERS, THE DISTINCTION MAY COME DOWN TO A CHOICE BETWEEN FOLLOWING THEIR HEADS OR THEIR HEARTS. FOR NHPR NEWS I?M
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