Hodes courts voters on both sides

Edward McDuffee, of Hollis, turned down Democrat Paul Hodes's offer of campaign literature yesterday as the 2nd District candidate toured the Senior Activity Center of Nashua.

"Well, I'm going to vote for you anyway," he said.

"So we'll save the paper?" Hodes asked.

"That's the idea," McDuffee said.

With less than a week until the election, Hodes was shaking hands and passing out literature at Nashua City Hall and at the new senior center, covering the same ground his opponent Republican Charlie Bass had covered two weeks earlier.

And although the Bass event drew plenty of Republican supporters, Hodes didn't lack for his own.

"Second time around, we know you now," said Bob Eichel, a volunteer at the senior center who described himself as an independent.

Eichel said he supported Hodes two years ago and would vote for him again this year.

"Things are not good in the country financially for many people," he said. "It's all about greed and corporate profits. The average middle class person is going down."

Hodes, 55, ran against Bass two years ago and lost with 38 percent of the vote to Bass's 58 percent.

A poll at the end of September had Bass only 10 points ahead, with 17 percent of voters undecided. More recent poll results were expected today.

"I think it's a closer race than Charlie Bass ever thought he'd be in," Hodes said after meeting with people at the senior center.

There, Hodes was eager to talk about Medicare Part D and his ideas for improving it, including allowing the federal government to negotiate for lower drug prices. He got sympathetic nods and many personal stories from people who'd had problems with the new federal drug benefit.

At city hall, Hodes was recognized by Bob Stone, who was waiting in a motor vehicle registration line. "My man!" Stone called out as Hodes came up to shake his hand.

Stone said he was worried about the cost of health care. "That's the big thing - and the war," he added. He said he wanted someone in Congress who'd take the money spent in Iraq and use it for domestic needs.

Mayor Bernie Streeter, a Republican who had led Bass through the building, avoided this event. Hodes was led around by former Democratic mayor Maurice "Mo" Arel.

"We need a change," Arel, a Democrat said. "We need a Democratic Congress."

Hodes was raised in New York City and attended Dartmouth College. After graduating, he spent several years working on a variety of projects in theater, film, sound recording and radio before going to law school and moving to New Hampshire to work as a prosecutor for then-Attorney General David Souter.

Hodes said he decided to run for Congress two years ago because he was upset over the direction of the country, including the war in Iraq and the influence of lobbyists. Though he'd never sought political office before, he had a longstanding interest in political affairs when he set his sights on federal office.

"I have a deep desire to make a difference," he said. But he said that idealism is tempered with Yankee pragmatism. "I'm practical about what government can and can't do," he said.

By ANNE SAUNDERS

The Associated Press