Senator Judd Gregg is a two term incumbent running a quiet, well-financed campaign against Democrat Doris "Granny D" Haddock of Dublin.
Haddock is running a more modest campaign, but it's built on her long held position on the need for greater campaign finance reform.
New Hampshire Public Radio's David Darman has more.
At a Granny D rally in Dover earlier this week, music blared from the three members of the band "Tatoo".
About 20 supporters stood at the edge of Henry Law Park to hear Doris Haddock criticize Senator Judd Gregg.
Haddock said her campaign was about taking politics back from special interests.
the first step in cleaning up our air and water is cleaning up the mess in washington, dc., where big money, selfish money sways the votes of people like mr gregg who rely on that money for their campaigns.
Haddock is against the war in Iraq.
And she criticizes Gregg's support for that war.
She goes so far as to say Gregg was in position to possibly prevent the terrorist attacks of 2001.
he is the fellow who killed the bill that would have tracked the activities of foreign students in the united states. and his campaign contributors include the trade schools that opposed the new program.
Senator Gregg has said he might have voted differently on this bill if he had had any way of knowing terrorists posing as students would strike.
But during his only debate with Haddock, Gregg said the September 11th attacks made it necessary to invade Iraq, because Iraq could offer safe haven for this country's enemies.
quite honestly, if these terrorists get their hands on a weapon of mass destruction and they could get it from a number of different places, they will use it against us. so, the only way to stop them, is to find them before they attack us. and the only way to do that is to be able to pursue them across the globe. and that's what this president is committed to doing.
Gregg has long claimed to be a strong advocate of the environment.
And this week, several of the state's largest conservation groups endorsed him.
They applauded his sponsorship of bills that have protected wildlife, forestland, and seashores.
But Doris Haddock says Gregg's environmental record is spotty.
She says some of his votes show he's been swayed by corporations that contribute to his campaign.
he voted against protecting our water against arsenic radon, and microbes, voting to prohibit the EPA from regulating arsenic in our drinking water. amazingly, he voted against increasing funding for rural clean drinking water.
Gregg's campaign counters that the senator's votes have never been tainted by corruption.
In fact, they say he was awarded "Conservationist of the Year" by the Society for Protection of New Hampshire Forests.
Gregg recently attended the dedication
of a 7600 acre conservation easement that connects Pillsbury and Sunapee State parks.
Jane Difley introduced him.
She is the president of the Society.
its always a pleasure to have senator gregg with us. and i think that you all know that senator gregg has not just been an advocate for the environment since he's been in the senate. when he was governor, when he was in the house, he was also an advocate. and he's contributed more to conservation projects in this state than most people would think of in a lifetime and he's still working on it....
Gregg's long political history in the state has built many relationships like the kind he has with the Society.
That was apparent when he visited the Sunapee Circle Store and Deli in Newbury after the Pilsbury event.
About 25 supporters were waiting for him when he arrived.
thank you all for coming in. you guys didn't have to get up. i'm coming over there, so you don't have to give up your breakfast.
The senator's supporters didn't express much interest in his campaign against Doris Haddock.
Most said they thought Gregg would easily win his race against her.
In their banter with Gregg, most wanted to talk about the presidential race, which is expected to be much closer than the senator's run for reelection.
nice to see you.....keep working...we will try. all we've got to do is win the election. we can keep working. we gotta get your buddy bush in there, too. that's true, very true. he's a good man.
Gregg has raised more than 3 million dollars in his race against Doris Haddock.
Haddock has raised much less, about 51,000 dollars.
She says she knows her odds of winning aren't helped by her lack of financial resources.
But Haddock says she ran this way to prove a point.
we have very little money, and that is the way we wanted it. because we thought it was a good chance to show what could be done without money. how it needs to be done. because today a poor man has to sell his votes to run for office, or he has to be a multi-millionaire.
Haddock doesn't take money from Political Action Committees.
And she is a Democrat in a state where her party makes up just 28 percent of the electorate.
That's six percent fewer than the number of registered Republicans, and ten percent fewer than Independents.
Senator Gregg has also brought back millions of dollars for the state from Washington.
These factors make Haddock's attempt to replace Gregg in the Senate a real uphill battle.
