New Hampshire Republicans Eager to Challenge Freshman Dem

06th March 2008

By Rachel Kapochunas

Congressional Quarterly

March 6, 2008

A competitive Republican primary has rapidly taken shape in New Hampshire’s 2nd District where three new GOP challengers have decided to enter the race since the beginning of the year.

Candidates are battling to topple freshman Democratic Rep. Paul W. Hodes , who currently faces no primary competition.

Lawyer and former Green Beret Jim Steiner had the GOP field to himself since he entered the race in October, but that all changed in January when radio talk show host and columnist Jennifer Horn jumped in. In February, they were joined by state Sen. Bob Clegg and later, Grant Bosse, former aide to Republican Sen. John E. Sununu , further crowding the field.

Republicans have been itching for a rematch against Hodes, who stunned many by ousting six-term Republican Rep. Charles Bass in 2006. Democrats received a boost that year from anti-Republican sentiment both in the state and nationwide and now, New Hampshire Republicans believe the political tide is turning in the state and increasing their chances in the district.

Republican candidates are already campaigning on issues such as the economy and local job growth as well as national concerns such as finding a solution to the ongoing war in Iraq, a topic that strongly resonated in the state in 2006. Most candidates in the district, which borders Canada, also have spoken out about a need to rein in illegal immigration.

With legislative experience and the network that comes with it on his side, many already regard latecomer Clegg as the Republican primary frontrunner.

Dante Scala, University of New Hampshire political scientist and author characterized Clegg as “head and shoulders” above his competitors, owing to his political experience.

Horn’s campaign manager Zack Condry said that while Horn does not have legislative experience she brings an “issue-based background” to the table from her years as a conservative talk show host and columnist, and she is championing herself as a Washington outsider.

“The other folks that are in the race are the same type of people: career politicians, lawyers, not regular citizens,” Condry told CQ Politics. “The founding fathers imagined the House of Representatives a neighbor-serving-neighbor environment, and that’s what we’re trying to get back to.”

Horn’s campaign has already begun positioning Clegg as just another “insider” whom voters will reject.

But Clegg said he’s just fine with that label.

“If they mean political insider by someone who understands each and every subject that affects the state of New Hampshire, they are correct,” Clegg responded to CQ Politics. “I’ve been dealing with some of the issues for a long time and I do it for $100 dollars a year (as a state senator). So that’s a political insider? That’s me.”

Clegg, who served in the state House and Senate for a combined 14 years, has highlighted what he believes to be his record of bipartisanship, something to which he feels voters will favorably respond.

“I believe that most of America today is tired of political rhetoric,” Clegg said. “I think that they want to send people to Washington who are willing to work and get the problems resolved rather than sit there and blame one party over another.”

State and national Republicans have attacked Hodes for what they say is a liberal record and have labeled him a partisan who aids a party the GOP believes to be ineffective.

Both Clegg and Horn’s campaign say the district, which encompasses the Western half of the state and the capital of Concord, as rich with independent voters, something they, along with Steiner, hope will work in their favor since they characterize themselves as independent thinkers. Statewide, 40 percent of New Hampshire voters are “unaffiliated.”

Political scientist Scala added that for Republicans in the race, promoting a “centrist” or “bipartisan” image is not only a smart campaign tactic to compete against Hodes, it’s probably a necessity.

“You can’t go out there and say ‘I’m a partisan Republican,’” Scala said. “A partisan Republican is not going to win that district.”

Analysts believe the 2nd district’s demographics will work against the GOP. CQ Politics rates the race as Democrat Favored.

“The demographics of the district point to a district that has clearly trended Democratic over the last several elections, both presidential, and of course, congressional,” said Scala.

Hodes not only has his incumbent status working for him but is also well-positioned financially. He raised more than $1 million last year and reported $695,000 on hand at the end of 2007. Steiner is the only GOP candidate who filed a report through Dec. 31. He has refused to accept political action committee contributions and raised $10,000, about half of which came from personal funds.