Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Make a sustaining gift today to support local journalism!
0000017a-15d9-d736-a57f-17ff8d070000Race: District 1, U.S. House of RepresentativesParty: RepublicanPolitical Experience: 2010-2012 - U.S. House2006-2009 - Mayor of Manchester2001-2005 - New Hampshire HousePersonal: Married, with two children; lives in ManchesterEducation: Bachelor of Arts, Assumption College; Masters, Franklin Pierce Law CenterCandidate WebsiteIssuesGuinta wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act and enact "market-based reforms" that include allowing insurance to be purchased across state lines."[I]f we could eradicate those state line borders, just start with our region, so every carrier now has the ability to compete not just in New Hampshire but in New England as a region, you will bring more competitive market forces to this area, probably upwards of 30 carriers or more."On immigration, Guinta opposes a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants already in the country. He says the U.S. must hire more border patrol agents and construct a wall in "high traffic areas." The current crisis of immigrants fleeing Central America for the U.S., he says, is the result of President Obama's policy of "prosecutorial discretion" to allow some individuals to remain here: "But the vast majority of those individuals can be returned to their home countries with their families."Guinta says he is "disappointed in a whole host of issues" related to the Obama administration's foreign policy, accusing the president of "disengagement" and lack of leadership. While he does not support "boots on the ground" against the Islamic States of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Guinta says the militant group cannot be allowed to grow. "The president is going to have come up with a strategy that doesn’t just contain, but has to eradicate ISIS because Americans would rather, I think, finish this now than deal with it for years and years and years and allow ISIS to become the next Al Qaeda."

You Asked, He Answered: Guinta Weighs in on Campaign Finance Regulations

Allegra Boverman for NHPR

Ahead of our recent forum with Congressman Frank Guinta, we asked you to let us know what issues you wanted to hear him discuss.

While we weren’t able to get to all of your suggestions during the forum, we did ask Guinta about his views on campaign finance regulations.

Specifically, one of you asked: “What’s your stance on Citizens United? Has dark money affected campaigns, yours included, too much?”

Guinta said he didn’t think he, as a member of Congress, had the ability to push back on the effects of the Citizens United ruling — given that it was a product of the Supreme Court.

“There’s a separation of powers,” Guinta said. “So the legislative branch doesn’t have any ability or authority to impact that. What I can impact is disclosure of the contributions that we receive, which obviously we do, as every candidate does, by the way. I hope that at the end of a campaign that people will ultimately do their level best to try to find out where the candidates stand and that the candidates do their level best to communicate. That’s part of what an open process in New Hampshire should be.”

Guinta, who has come under scrutiny for his own campaign finance violations in the past, voiced broad support for more transparency in showing who’s donating to political campaigns.

“Look, I think the most important thing for the financial side of running elections is transparency. The more transparency there is in who’s contributing to individuals, where anybody can see that, I think is a benefit. I have certainly been on the receiving end of outside PACs and super PACs spending money against me… I have no idea who they are, I have no idea who’s contributed to those PACs, and probably most people in New Hampshire in that eight seconds that you see that tiny, tiny print at the end about who it’s paid for by have no clue.”

You can listen to Guinta’s full conversation with The Exchange right here. Stay tuned for more of our "Conversations with the Candidates" and more opportunities to participate leading up to the general election.

Casey is a Senior News Editor for NHPR. You can contact her with questions or feedback at cmcdermott@nhpr.org.
Related Content

You make NHPR possible.

NHPR is nonprofit and independent. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. Your support makes this news available to everyone.

Give today. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference.