There are stark differences between the Democratic and Republican gubernatorial candidates on issues ranging from taxes and education to guns and abortion. Democrat Mark Fernald and Republican Craig Benson also differ on another fundamental campaign issue - debates.
A recent WNDS news broadcast told an increasingly familiar story.
'Well there was only one candidate in attendance at a gubernatorial debate today. Republican Candidate Craig Benson declined to participate in the debate sponsored by the NH association of counties. Leaving Democratic candidate Mark Fernald to solo that event. Craig Benson also declined to participate in a debate organized on behalf of WNDS TV. The Benson campaign says it will participate in a limited number of debates.'
According to Mark Fernald, Craig Benson is afraid to face the voters. And earlier this week, after a recent debate Benson did attend, a clearly frustrated Fernald told any reporter willing to listen that Benson campaign style is sabotaging the democratic process.
'He killed the leadership NH debate that was supposed to be televised on channel 50. He didn?t come to the affordable housing forum. He didn?t go the NH school administrators association. He scheduled a press conference in the same city at the same time?then told them he was too busy to come?The aarp debate today. Have you heard what he?s doing? He?s throwing a party at the same time the debate is going on. That building that time?.while the AARP is hosting a debate that only I?m going to attended, because he won?t come.'
For his part, Craig Benson denies ducking Fernald.
'I take issue with that. I did tenish with him in the primary. Including an AARP forum. And we have six scheduled to this and if you compare any other candidate running for any other office in this state and compare them to my forum, debate schedule. I blow them all away. It?s not even close.'
Confidence notwithstanding, Benson?s statement doesn?t quite square with the facts. He and Fernald are facing off twice as many times as the candidates in either of the congressional contests??But only one of those on live TV. The Shaheen- Sununu senate race, by contrast is slated to have nine joint appearances??three on live Television?.And since the primary, Of the times when Benson has debated Fernald?..so far all have been at events sponsored by business groups. Benson dismissed that pattern as coincidence.
'It seems to me the questions don?t change all that much depending on what the audience you talking to?..the questions still run the gamut??'
And as for Benson?s claim to having participated in an AARP forum? AARP state Director Don Davidson tells says that?s simply not the case.
'There was no forum, one of our chapters back in January invited the all of the gubernatorial candidates to come down and introduce themselves. They didn?t talk with each other or against each other. It was just the thirty people in that chapter see the candidate.'
AARP and the Benson camp also have different versions of Benson?s no show last Wednesday. Here, Benson and Campaign manager Mike Dennehy explain their side.
'We never accepted it. Never made my schedule??Mike you were handling this?What was it. Well never accepted anything after the primary because it would have been a little presumptuous. So, Yeah.'
And here?s the AARP?s acting president Bob Denz, telling his version before the crowd of more than 400.
'Craig Benson has cancelled his participation with us here today. We tried to get him to change their mind. We gave them a week of that.'
Benson?s non-attendance shocked the audience. But to political analysts it?s entirely logical. A recent UNH poll shows Benson leading Mark Fernald by 17 points would choose to forgo appearing with his opponent. Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia?s center for politics says the debate over debates plays itself out in every election. And this one, says Sabato is going according to form..
'If there behind, they want a lot of debates. If they?re ahead, they want to limit the number of debates. So Guess what. Craig Benson wants to limit the number of debates. It makes perfect sense from a strategic point of view.'
And the same is particularly true, when there is such a disparity in campaign resources. The half-billionaire Benson has so far plowed more than 10 million dollars into the election. In the primary he outspent Fernald by about 25 to one. Much of it on advertisements?..
Ad bite
Larry Sabato, says the Benson campaign has nothing to gain by changing what has so far proven a highly successful strategy.
'If you are running ads and not participating in free media events, you are totally controlling the message, and you are not making any mistakes most importantly. We the people may like candidates to be unscripted, but campaign managers have heart attacks when their people are unscripted. Much better to keep the ads on the air, so that you know exactly what their campaign is saying.'
The candidates? next joint appearance is Thursday morning in Ossipee. Mark Fernald first television ad began running over the weekend. By Friday it will have aired 88 timed on WMUR TV.
