1st District Republicans debate in Derry, take aim at Shea-Porter
DERRY – With the Republican Congressional primary just weeks away, four major District 1 contenders gathered last night to debate before a panel of news media representatives and live audience at Pinkerton Academy in Derry. And as the candidates lined the stage at Pinkerton Academy in Derry, their eyes were all set on incumbent U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter.
“Carol Shea-Porter is stockpiling her dollars and is waiting for Sept. 15 to unload on whoever the nominee is,” said Rich Ashooh. “We need to be sure we get it right in the primary, because we’re not going to have much time.” All candidates expressed frustration with Shea-Porter’s support of the recent health care reform, several calling out the wave of town meetings she held only after the legislation had been passed.
“(Speaker of the House) Nancy Pelosi isn’t representing New Hampshire, and Carol Shea-Porter clearly isn’t, either,” said former Manchester mayor Frank Guinta. “Term limits are the way we can ensure members of Congress will respect the constituents.”
Candidates had a long list of complaints about current administration, including the financial bailout, the recent health care reform package and rising taxes; but several also took aim at a GOP Party they said had moved away from conservatism.
“I very whole-heartedly believe in the conservative principles of the Republican Party,” said Bob Bestani. “But part of the reason that I’m running is because I think the Republican Party has lost its moorings and it’s not and has not in the past steadfastly adhered to the conservative principles that I think we believe in.”
Congressional Debate 2010
1st District Republican candidates (from left) Rich Ashooh, Bob Bestani, Frank Guinta and Sean Mahoney, listen to Ashooh’s remarks during a Derry Republican Committee-sponsored forum at Pinkerton Academy on Wednesday evening. (MARK BOLTON) Sean Mahoney said he would also work to return to the values laid out in the Constitution.
“We’ve got a federal government that has grown out of control,” Mahoney said. “Our founding fathers would be rolling in their graves if they saw the intrusiveness, growth, size and scope of our federal government today.” When questioned about a recent adjustment made to his financial disclosure filings — to include a personal savings account of between $250,000 and $500,000 not previously listed — Guinta defended himself, calling the mistake a simple error. “When I identified that I made some mistakes, I amended the report voluntarily,” Guinta said.
But others said the error could hint at an ethical misstep.
“This is a golden opportunity for us to beat Carol Shea-Porter and I want to make sure we have a nominee that is free of ethical concerns clouding their candidacy,” Mahoney said. “I think we’re doing ourselves a disservice when there are still questions that remain around candidates.” Not present on the stage were three other candidates in the primary. Among them was Peter Bearse, who briefly interrupted the discussion.
“We would simply like to be able to participate with these gentlemen in this debate so you can hear the full range and the full spectrum of voices within the party contesting the Republican nomination and not prejudge the vote,” Bearse said, before returning to his seat. The Derry Republican Committee hosted yesterday’s debate.
Two Republican candidates said the town Republican committee blocked them from participating in the debate. Peter Bearse of Danville and Richard Parent of Wolfeboro, standing outside the event, said they have a right to be heard because they will be on the Sept. 14 ballot and they have been campaigning. “By the Derry Republicans doing this to us, they’re picking the winners and losers of this race,” said Parent, a chief engineer on a merchant marine vessel. “This is the first time in 2 1/2 months of campaigning, and I’m talking about active campaigning, that I’ve been excluded.” Parent said he decided to run after the passage of the Democrats’ health care plan, and his opposition to the Democratic incumbent, Carol Shea-Porter of Rochester.