GOP debates experience, avoid attacks

Four Republican U.S. Senate candidates - two millionaire businessmen, a former attorney general and an attorney - stressed their experience last night rather than launch attacks at a North Country debate.

Former attorney general Kelly Ayotte, attorney Ovide Lamontagne and businessmen Bill Binnie and Jim Bender wooed about 200 people at the North Conway Grand Hotel, fielding questions for two hours about taxes, spending, the federal bailout and foreign policy.

The cordial tone of the debate was markedly different from earlier in the week when Binnie rejected Republican Party Chairman John H. Sununu's call for candidates to avoid negative attacks. Binnie vowed to defend himself against attacks he said were backed by Ayotte - who denied it.

Binnie launched two TV ads attacking Ayotte for failing to pursue a now-closed New Hampshire mortgage firm at the center of a Ponzi scheme when she was attorney general. The ads feature victims critical of Ayotte.

Ayotte's campaign immediately denounced the ads as false and "taken straight out of (Democratic Senate candidate) Paul Hodes' dirty playbook." Hodes has paid for similar TV spots attacking Ayotte on the issue.

Ayotte is acknowledged by her rivals as the front-runner. She received GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's endorsement - a boost to her conservative credentials in a primary likely to be decided by that wing of the party.

The four major GOP candidates agreed on nearly every issue yesterday, making it difficult for voters such as Lorraine Seibel, a 63-year-old Democrat planning to change her party registration to Republican. Seibel, of North Conway, came to listen to Binnie in a debate format, having heard him speak before. She liked what she heard, but she left not totally committed.

"They all sounded good," she said. "I have to do a little more homework."

Seibel especially liked what the four said about the country needing to lower taxes on small businesses and reduce regulations to create a climate for companies to expand and add jobs. A real estate agent, Seibel said that is a key to turning the economy around so people will buy houses again.

Pat Swett, 68, a Republican from East Conway, also left not totally committed but said she is leaning toward Lamontagne, though she doesn't agree with his views on abortion.

Lamontagne is the only candidate of the four who backs a constitutional amendment to prevent abortions. Swett said she is pro-choice - more in line with positions held by Binnie and Bender.

Ayotte said the landmark Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion should be overturned, but states should regulate abortion rather than adopt a constitutional change.

On the issues, the four agreed the United States should do whatever it can to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power.

They backed spending cuts even if it meant trimming entitlements such as Social Security and Medicare. They supported tax cuts for small businesses, reducing regulations and letting the generals have greater flexibility in handling the war in Afghanistan.

"One thing our foreign policy should not be: We should never apologize for America," Ayotte said.

They agreed the Taliban - by harboring and helping terrorists - is America's enemy, but Binnie said the United States should not look to build a Jeffersonian democracy in Afghanistan.

"We need to narrow the mission," he said.

On Iran, the four said if diplomacy and sanctions fail, America must be ready to act to protect Israel.

"We should be ready to act unilaterally if no other nation stands with us," Lamontagne said.

The four also opposed the bailouts under Presidents George W. Bush and Obama. The free market system and a reduction in taxes would have done more to stimulate the economy, they said. (next page »)