Brown Talks with Veterans, Shaheen Releases Student Debt Ad

We're in the middle of the summer but the campaign season is hot and happening in New Hampshire. Here is a rundown on recent press statements and campaign notes from around the Granite State. 

Brown chats with veterans, officials

Former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown met held a roundtable discussion about veterans’ issues with both state employment officials and three veterans from the Granite State at The Barley House Restaurant on July 21, as part of his “Honoring Our Veterans” listening tour.

Brown discussed a number of issues including “the permanent reauthorization of the Hire A Hero Act, a law Brown co-sponsored to provide tax credits to businesses that hire veterans,” according to a press statement.

“The Obama-Shaheen economy has not given our veterans the job opportunities they deserve once they return home,” said Brown. “These are the men and women who fight for our freedom and they should not have to come home and fight to find job.”

Brown and his wife, Gail Huff, spoke with veterans from Concord, Londonderry, and Nashua, about their concerns.

Shaheen hits airwaves with student loan ad

A new television ad from Jeanne Shaheen's campaign highlights how Shaheen is working to lower college costs for New Hampshire students and their parents by giving them the freedom to refinance their college loans, just like they can with a home mortgage or car loan. The ad, running 30 seconds, began airing on televisions stations in New Hampshire on July 20, according to a press statement.

“Jeanne Shaheen has deep roots in New Hampshire. She raised her family here and her record proves she shares our values. She understands the importance of education to our kids and their future,” said Campaign Manager Mike Vlacich. 

In the Senate, Jeanne Shaheen was an original co-sponsor of the Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinance Act that would allow students in New Hampshire and across the country to refinance their loans at lower interest rates. While the legislation was blocked by congressional gridlock and a Republican filibuster, it would have helped 25 million borrowers across the country save thousands of dollars on their loan payments. Individuals with older loans at higher interest rates would be able to refinance at rates below 4 percent.

New Hampshire college graduates leave school with $33,000 in student loan debt on average. It is the second highest rate of debt in the country. More than half of the more than 200,000 Granite Staters with federally backed student loans would benefit from Senator Shaheen’s legislation.

Watch the ad here: youtube.com/watch?v=z91iKJhsDKc 

Martin says he predicted Obama failed foreign policy

As Barack Obama was announcing his candidacy for president in 2007 analyst/columnist Andy Martin, now a Senate candidate in the Granite State, prepared a “Psychological Profile of Barack Obama,” according to a press statement. Martin’s analysis predicted with uncanny accuracy how Obama would “freeze up” in the White House. 

Martin, who was in Iran in 1979 and 1980, said he remembered the disintegration of the U.S. Government under President Jimmy Carter and added that his analysis last week focused on the Russian attack on a Malaysian airliner Thursday, and Obama’s casual response to the murder of 300 passengers. 

“I’m not the leading candidate,” Martin stated. “But I am the only Republican who can tackle Obama and stop his defeatist agenda. Granite Staters have an unusual opportunity to send a highly qualified candidate to Washington.”

On July 22, Martin will hold a press conference in Manchester, announcing his support for for Market Basket employees who are protesting the dismissal of Arthur T. DeMoulas. The Republican Party must support American workers if it is to survive in New Hampshire and nationally, he noted. Martin will also offer to “mediate the DeMoulas ‘family feud.’”

Havenstein to Hassan: Return the cash

Republican candidate for Governor Walt Havenstein called for Maggie Hassan to return donations received from union PACs, according to a press statement.

When talking about the letter, Havenstein stated, "Maggie Hassan is a good politician, which clearly extends to her ability to bend – and possibly break – the state's campaign finance rules in order to raise money. However, if she truly supports campaign finance reform, as she has claimed in the past, she will act now to uphold the spirit of New Hampshire's law and prevent undue influence from damaging our politics."

Several news outlets reported last week that the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers PAC donated $25,000 and that the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Committee on Political Education and the United Food and Commercial (UFCW) Active Ballot Club PAC also each donated $10,0000 to the Hassan campaign.

The New Hampshire GOP asked the Attorney General's office to look into the matter and an inquiry has been initiated.

Hemingway posts ‘solutions’ web ad

Gubernatorial Candidate Andrew Hemingway has released the latest in his series of web videos Solutions: Coming November 2014!

In the latest, he speaks about the philosophy of our state motto and what it should mean in the governing of our state.

“As government grows, individual and economic freedom shrinks, the two are directly correlated,” Hemingway said. “We have seen a dramatic change in our state in the past decade and as Governor, I hope to bring New Hampshire to a place where ‘Live Free or Die’ is more than a marketing tool.  It should be our way of life.”

View the video here: youtube.com/watch?v=selQFIxQkIQ 

Garcia gets boost from Club for Growth

The Club for Growth, the nation’s leading group promoting economic freedom, is dropping six-figures into a new television ad for 2nd Congressional District Republican candidate Marilinda Garcia, thanking her for standing against taxes and spending. Garcia, a press statement from Barney Keller noted, opposed SB 367, which raised New Hampshire’s gas tax. SB 367 increased the gas tax by 22% to 22 cents per gallon. The ads start on July 22, and will run throughout the state of New Hampshire.

“People in New Hampshire are hurting because their representatives in Concord have an addiction to higher taxes and spending,” said Club for Growth President Chris Chocola. “Fortunately, the people of New Hampshire have conservatives like Marlinda Garcia fighting for them. Marilinda opposed the gas tax increase and voted against the budget written by liberals in Concord. Concerned citizens should encourage Marilinda to keep standing strong against higher taxes.”

Click here to view the ad: youtube.com/watch?v=Fir4F0uvEp8

Check out all the Campaign 2014 posts and stories in the Patch Elections section.