3 in GOP Vie to Succeed O'Hearn in State Senate

Joseph W. DuBois of Nashua is an Army veteran.

He has never run for office before.

When it comes to answering the persistent question of raising state funds, Dubois's answer is gambling.
i mean people have to get over their fears that everybody is going to get corrupted by casinos or slot machines. i mean look at how long they've had it atlantic city or in connecticut. you know, they're making money hand over fist, and its going into the state coffers.

None of the three Republican candidates would support any new levies.

And each says he would vote to reduce the unpopular statewide property tax.

Representative Paul LaFlamme of Nashua would take it a step further.

He would support Governor Craig Benson's constitutional amendment that would strip the courts of any education policy issues.
what i'm proposing is a constitutional amendment that will clearly define what the state's role is. does not mean we need to cut aid. it just means going forward we know what the intent of the constitution is. right now its being interpreted in a way that makes the legislature have to continually go back and revisit it and adjust it.

Such an amendment failed overwhelmingly last spring in the statehouse.

LaFlamme is 31 years old and has been a state representative for two terms.

He's also a founding partner in a real estate firm in Nashua.

He boasts that his business has grown significantly in the last 3 years.

Like his opponents, LaFlamme says he wants to do something about high prescription prices and high health insurance costs.

But he staunchly opposes SB 110.

that law went into effect last year, and changed the way insurance companies rate their policy holders.
i don't think its worked the way it was intended to work. I voted against it in the house.
the bottom line is...insurance works by spreading risk around. everybody pays into a big pool of money and then you pay out and the bigger you can make that pool, the lower the premiums are going to be and the less risk involved.

Fellow Representative Harry Haytayan of Hollis also advocates change in the health care system.

But the first term representative supports SB 110, saying he's willing to give it more time to bring about its promised benefits.

Haytayan is an attorney who unsuccessfully tried to pass medical malpractice reform during during the last session of the Legislature.

Haytayan promises to reintroduce the measure in the senate if he's elected.
you know, neurosurgeons are leaving the state. they can't practice because their insurance rates medical malpractice rates are higher than their income. down here in nashua we're going to start seeing that physicians who give access to critical healthcare are not going to be able to stay in practice unless we have these reforms.

Haytayan has also served on the Hollis school board for 3 years.

That could help him.

In 2002, Hollis Republicans accounted for nearly 20% of the GOP senate primary vote in District 12.

Paul LaFlamme also has a connection to Hollis.

He grew up there, and attended Hollis schools.

Outgoing Senator Jane O'Hearn says she finds district GOP voters to be moderates on most issues.

And she says the district may have become more moderate.

Since redistricting, it's gained another Nashua ward, and lost conservative New Ipswich.

But O'Hearn adds that labels like conservative or moderate are the least of the candidates' problems.

She says first they need to get the voters attention.
we are so close to massachusetts that everybody is watching the boston television stations and are reading the boston stations rather than the local paper here or even the union leader. and channel 9 is not really a big station to watch unless you're involved like i am.

On at least one social issue, Paul LaFlamme and Harry Haytayan hold opposite positions.

LaFlamme calls himself pro life, while Haytayan says he supports abortion rights.

Meanwhile, LaFlamme says he supports civil unions, while Haytayan has argued to keep New Hampshire from recognizing gay marriages performed in Massachusetts.

Both candidates call themselves moderate Republicans.

Only Joseph DuBois claims conservative credentials.

Whoever wins the Repulican nomination next Tuesday is only partway to filling the District 12 seat.

The winner will meet Democrat Dave Gottesman, who's running unopposed for his party's nomination.