Full video: 2024 New Hampshire 1st District Republicans debate

THIS IS A WMUR COMMITMENT. 2024 SPECIAL. THE GRANITE STATE DEBATES. HALLIE NOVOSELSKY IS THE CEO OF NOVEL IRONWORKS. A THIRD GENERATION FAMILY BUSINESS. SHE SERVED AS A NURSE IN THE U.S. ARMY RESERVE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE NATIONAL GUARD. SHE'S THE FORMER CHAIR OF THE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS COMMITTEE OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION. RUSSELL PRESCOTT ALSO RUNS A FAMILY BUSINESS. HE DESIGNS MANY OF THE WATER TREATMENT PRODUCTS MADE AND DISTRIBUTED BY THE COMPANY. HIS FATHER STARTED. THE SEACOAST NATIVE IS A FORMER STATE SENATOR AND EXECUTIVE COUNCILOR. CHRIS BRIGHT'S BUSINESS EXPERIENCE INCLUDES SERVING AS CEO FOR SEVERAL COMPANIES BEFORE WORKING IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. THE WEST POINT GRADUATE SERVED AS AN ARMY ENGINEER OFFICER, LEADING MISSIONS IN THE BALKANS AND THEN EARNING AN MBA FROM MIT. JOE KELLY LEVASSEUR IS A MANCHESTER NATIVE AND THE CHAIR OF THE CITY'S BOARD OF ALDERMEN. THE ATTORNEY AND FORMER RESTAURANT OWNER HAS EXPLICITLY TIED HIS CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN TO HIS SUPPORT FOR DONALD TRUMP IN THE RACE FOR PRESIDENT. TONIGHT, THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES IN THE FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THE GRANITE STATE DEBATES. I'M WMUR POLITICAL DIRECTOR ADAM SEXTON. TONIGHT WE'RE HEARING FROM THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES IN THE FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. FOUR OF THEM ARE JOINING US LIVE TONIGHT. THEY'LL BE ANSWERING QUESTIONS FROM ME AND FROM OUR PANELISTS. THOSE PANELISTS TONIGHT ARE WMUR ANCHORS, MONICA HERNANDEZ AND STEVE BOTTARI. HERE'S A LOOK AT OUR FORMAT. EACH CANDIDATE WILL GET UP TO 60S TO ANSWER A QUESTION. THEY'LL HAVE 30S FOR A REBUTTAL IF NECESSARY, AND THOSE WILL BE GRANTED AT MY DISCRETION. LET'S GET THE QUESTIONS STARTED THIS EVENING WITH MONICA HERNANDEZ. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. NOW YOU'VE ALL MADE CUTTING SPENDING A PRIORITY OF YOUR CAMPAIGNS, BUT THE NUMBERS SHOW THAT BOTH PARTIES OVERSPEND. SO WHY SHOULD VOTERS THINK YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO CHANGE THAT IN CONGRESS? ALDERMAN LEVASSEUR, THIS QUESTION GOES FIRST TO YOU. GREAT QUESTION. GREAT POINT. A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THE SAME THING. I HEAR IT ALL OVER WHO IS GOING TO ACTUALLY TAKE CHARGE? WHEN TRUMP WAS IN THERE, HE WAS DOING REALLY WELL. THEN COVID CAME ALONG AND THEN THE MONEY REALLY STARTED TO FLOW. YOU NEED SOMEBODY WHO HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE DEALING WITH BUDGETS. NOW, I'VE BEEN AN ALDERMAN FOR SEVEN STRAIGHT TERMS, AND IN 1999 I WAS AN ALDERMAN FOR ONE TERM. IN THAT INTERIM, BETWEEN 1999 AND ABOUT 2012, MANCHESTER CAME UP WITH A TAX CAP AND OUR TAX CAP HAS BEEN THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO MANCHESTER. IT HAS BEEN WHAT WE NEEDED TO REALLY SLOW DOWN SPENDING. THAT'S WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NEEDS. IT NEEDS A TAX CAP AND IT NEEDS SOMEBODY WHO HAS EXPERIENCE, UNDERSTANDING AND DEALING WITH TAX CAPS AND WHO IS NOT AFRAID TO BUCK THEIR PARTY ON SPENDING. I WILL BE A STAUNCH FISCAL CONSERVATIVE WHEN I GET DOWN TO WASHINGTON, D.C. MISS ZELENSKYY, THIS QUESTION GOES TO YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, I KNOW HOW TO MAKE THE DIFFICULT DECISIONS. WE HAVE NEVER LAID OFF IN THE 68 YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS, AND DURING 2009, TEN ECONOMIC DOWNTURN, WE TIGHTENED OUR BELTS, LAID NOBODY OFF. THEY GOT THEIR 40 HOURS AND WE MADE IT THROUGH. I KNOW HOW TO MAKE THE DIFFICULT DECISIONS, AND THERE ARE SOME SPENDING ISSUES THAT WE CAN CUT RIGHT AWAY. WE NEED TO START CLAWING BACK SOME OF THE COVID MONEY. WE NEED TO STOP SPENDING MONEY ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. WE NEED TO SHUT DOWN THE BORDER. WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE HERE, AND WE NEED TO REALLY, REALLY RAIL IN OUR SPENDING. SO THAT WE CAN TAKE CARE OF OUR ELDERLY, OUR VETERANS AND OUR HOMELESS AND OUR MENTALLY ILL. COUNCILOR PRESCOTT, SAME QUESTION. CERTAINLY TO BE ABLE TO REALLY PERFORM, YOU HAVE TO WIN A GENERAL ELECTION. I'VE DONE THAT TWICE AS A STATE SENATOR, TWICE I WENT INTO THE STATE SENATE BY WINNING AGAINST MAGGIE HASSAN IN A TOUGH DISTRICT. DEMOCRAT DISTRICT. MATTER OF FACT, WINNING IS THE FIRST THING. THE SECOND THING IS WHEN YOU SEE A BUDGET DEFICIT LIKE WE HAD HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, YOU WEIGH THE NEEDS AND THE WANTS, AND YOU MAKE SURE YOU TAKE CARE OF THE NEEDS OF OUR STATE, INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH, INCLUDING MAKING SURE WE DON'T RAISE TAXES. THAT'S WHAT WE DID WHEN WE WERE IN THE STATE SENATE. I SERVED THERE FOR TEN YEARS AND BALANCED BUDGETS EVERY SINGLE TIME. AND MADE SURE AND MR. BRIGHT, WHY SHOULD VOTERS BELIEVE THAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO CUT SPENDING IN CONGRESS? WELL, THAT'S A SIMPLE QUESTION. I AM THE ONLY TRUE NON POLITICIAN STANDING UP HERE TONIGHT. TWO OF THESE GUYS HAVE BEEN CAREER POLITICIANS AND HOLLY'S BEEN BEHIND THE SCENES WRITING CHECKS FOR PAY TO PLAY FOR THE LAST YOU KNOW SEVERAL YEARS. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ROCKET SCIENCE. IT'S HAVING THE RIGHT PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND HOW THIS STUFF WORKS. AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE A LOT OF GOVERNMENT OVERSPENDING, IT DRIVES INFLATION. IT CAUSES HIGHER TAXES. AND EVERY SINGLE PERSON HERE IN THE GRANITE STATE SUFFERS BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE DISCONNECT BETWEEN BAD FISCAL POLICY AND WHAT IT DOES TO EVERYDAY AMERICANS. AS A BUSINESS OWNER, AS SOMEBODY WHO BUILT A BUSINESS FROM SCRATCH THAT LAST YEAR WAS RECOGNIZED AS THE FASTEST GROWING PRIVATE COMPANY HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS ROI. I UNDERSTAND BALANCED BUDGETS, AND I UNDERSTAND HOW TO MAKE EVERY LAST DOLLAR WORK. WE WERE INVOKED. YOU GET 30S. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHRIS. THAT'S THE SAME STUFF THAT THEY THREW AT PRESIDENT TRUMP IN 2016. I HAVE ALWAYS SUPPORTED BY AMERICAN. I HAVE ALWAYS SUPPORTED THE AMERICAN MANUFACTURING, AND I HAVE ALWAYS SUPPORTED THE AMERICAN WORKER. AND I WILL NEVER APOLOGIZE FOR DOING THAT. THANK YOU. NEXT QUESTION FROM STEVE BOTTARI. THE U.S. HAS NOW SPENT $175 BILLION ON THE WAR IN UKRAINE. ANOTHER $12.5 BILLION TO HELP ISRAEL AFTER HAMAS'S TERROR ATTACK LAST OCTOBER. ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF SENDING MORE TO EITHER COUNTRY, AND IF SO, HOW FAR ARE YOU WILLING TO GO? MR. BRIGHT, TO YOU FIRST. YEAH, THANK YOU. AS AN ARMY OFFICER AND SOMEBODY WHO WAS SERVED DOWNRANGE IN TWO DIFFERENT COMBAT ZONES, I HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE EFFECTS OF AMERICA'S FOREIGN POLICY OF AMERICA'S FOREIGN POLICY WITH RESPECT TO UKRAINE. I DO SUPPORT SPENDING MONEY THERE, BECAUSE I WOULD RATHER SPEND AMERICAN DOLLARS THAN AMERICAN BLOOD. THIS IS A STRATEGIC ALLY. THIS IS A COUNTRY THAT IS A DEMOCRACY THAT HAS BEEN STEAMROLLED BY PUTIN. AND WE HAVE TO SEND STRONG SIGNALS TO OUR ALLIES THAT AMERICA STANDS UP FOR ITS FRIENDS, THAT AMERICA STANDS FOR SOMETHING AND HAVING POOR LEADERSHIP IN WASHINGTON, D.C., IS THE REASON THAT THIS HAPPENED. A DONALD TRUMP PRESIDENCY DOES NOT ALLOW VLADIMIR PUTIN TO INVADE ANOTHER SOVEREIGN COUNTRY, COUNCILOR PRESCOTT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE NEED TO, FIRST OF ALL, BE ABLE TO SAY, ARE WE LOOKING AFTER THE WORLD OR ARE WE LOOKING AFTER AMERICA? FIRST, WE MUST TAKE CARE OF AMERICA FIRST. OUR VETERANS, ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE OUR NEEDS OF OUR COUNTRY MUST COME FIRST. AT THE SAME TIME, WE MUST HAVE COMPASSION AROUND THE WORLD. OF COURSE, I HAVE SYMPATHY FOR SURE. ANYONE THAT IS FIGHTING IN THEIR OWN BACKYARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SAFE AND SOUND. I AM VERY SYMPATHETIC TO THAT. BUT IF WE DO THAT AT THE EXPENSE OF AMERICA AND OUR SECURITY AND OUR ABILITY TO BE A LEADER IN THE WORLD, WE'RE DOING IT BACKWARDS. WE SHOULD TAKE CARE OF AMERICA FIRST AND AT THE SAME TIME, WORK HARD TO MAKE SURE WE CAN HELP AROUND THE WORLD AND ESPECIALLY TO ISRAEL. THEY WERE UNPROVOKED ATTACKS AND WE NEED TO BRING THAT TO JUSTICE AND MAKE SURE WE DO SUPPORT ISRAEL AT THE SAME TIME. MISS NOVOSELSKY SAME QUESTION. THANK YOU. THE BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION HAS SHOWN WEAKNESS ON THE WORLD STAGE AND HAS DESTABILIZED OUR WHOLE WORLD. WE NEED TO FIND AN OFF RAMP FOR THE WAR IN IN UKRAINE AND RUSSIA. WE NEED TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THE MILITARY EQUIPMENT. THEY NEED TO CONTINUE THE JOB. BUT WE NOT SHOULD NOT BE SPENDING MONEY ON THEIR SMALL BUSINESSES, THEIR FARMING. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT MONEY THAT IS SENT THERE IS IS ACCOUNTED FOR BECAUSE LET'S NOT FORGET THE FEDERAL MONEY THAT GOES IS TAXPAYER MONEY AND THERE NEEDS TO BE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THAT. SO THERE NEEDS TO BE AN OFF RAMP. AND WE NEED TO JUST SUPPLY MILITARY EQUIPMENT AS FAR AS ISRAEL, ISRAEL IS OUR ONLY DEMOCRATIC ALLY IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THEY HAVE BEEN OUR LIFELONG ALLY AND WE NEED TO SUPPORT THEM. IT IS A CRIME THAT WE HAVE TOLD THEM AND HELD THEIR HANDS BACK FROM DOING THE JOB THEY NEED TO DO. THEY NEED TO GO IN AND THEY NEED TO GET RID OF HAMAS. AND WE NEED TO SUPPORT THEM IN EVERY EFFORT. THEY NEED TO DO THAT. ALDERMAN LEVASSEUR. YES. THANK YOU ALL IN ON ISRAEL AS FAR AS UKRAINE. WEAKNESS IN THE BY THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION EMPOWERED PUTIN TO WALK IN AND START THIS CONFLICT WITH UKRAINE. IF TRUMP WAS THERE AND WHEN TRUMP WAS THERE, THAT WAS NOT A PROBLEM. WHEN OBAMA WAS IN, THEY WENT IN AND TOOK CRIMEA. SO WHEN YOU'RE WATCHING THIS HAPPEN, IT HAPPENED BECAUSE OF WEAK ADMINISTRATION. A TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WILL NOT I DO BELIEVE TRUMP WHEN HE SAYS THIS WILL BE SOLVED WITHIN A DAY. I MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT UKRAINE IS LOSING 1 TO 2000 SOLDIERS A DAY. THIS WAR NEEDS TO END. THE MONEY NEEDS TO STOP GOING IN THERE. WE NEED PEACE. THE FACT THAT THEY THREATENED RUSSIA BY SAYING THEY WOULD MAKE UKRAINE A NATO MEMBER WAS THE WRONG MOVE, FOR I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE WRONG TIME, BUT IT CERTAINLY WAS THE WRONG MOVE. AND TRUMP SAID HE WILL STOP THAT. THEY WILL NOT BECOME A NATO MEMBER. AND PUTIN WILL STOP THE WAR AND WILL END IN ONE DAY. AND I BELIEVE HIM, AND THAT WILL STOP THE MONEY FLOW FROM GOING OVER THERE. CANDIDATES TWICE IN THE LAST DECADE, HOUSE REPUBLICANS PASSED A BILL TO BAN ABORTIONS AFTER 20 WEEKS. IF THAT BILL, OR SOMETHING SIMILAR WERE TO COME TO THE HOUSE FLOOR AND YOU'RE SERVING REPRESENTING NEW HAMPSHIRE IN CONGRESS, HOW WOULD YOU VOTE? FIRST TO YOU, MISS NOVOLAKSKY? WELL, THE DOBBS DECISION PUT THE THE ISSUE OF ABORTION BACK TO THE STATE. SO IF IT'S A STATE ISSUE, WE CANNOT VOTE FOR IT. I WOULD NOT VOTE FOR ANY ABORTION LAWS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. MISTER BRYANT, THE ABORTION ISSUE IS A POLARIZING ISSUE. AND I'VE SAID THIS THE ENTIRE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, A THOUSAND YEARS FROM NOW, WE COULD STILL BE STANDING HERE DEBATING THIS ISSUE BECAUSE WE COME AT IT FROM TWO DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED WORLDVIEWS. THE DOBBS DECISION WAS RIGHT BECAUSE IT GAVE IT, PUT IT BACK ON THE STATES AND ANYTIME YOU HAVE A CONTENTIOUS DECISION, I BELIEVE WHEN YOU CAN GET IT CLOSER TO THE ELECTORATE, IT EMPOWERS THE PEOPLE. AND SO I THINK THAT WAS A GOOD DECISION TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, IT, GO BACK TO THE STATES. I WOULD NEVER SUPPORT A FEDERAL BAN ON ABORTION. ALDERMAN LEVASSEUR WELL, I AGREE THAT IT IS A STATE ISSUE AND WE PROBABLY SHOULD STAY AWAY FROM IT. BUT I WILL SAY THAT IF A BAN CAME IN THAT I, I PERSONALLY APPROVE OR THOUGHT OF AND IT HAD BIPARTISAN SUPPORT, NOT ONLY AND I'M NOT TALKING REPUBLICAN STRICTLY, IF THE REPUBLICANS COME IN AND THEY COME IN WITH AN ABORTION BAN, I WOULD NOT SUPPORT IT. I BELIEVE IT SHOULD STAY AS A STATE. RIGHT. BUT IF 75% OF THE DEMOCRATS AND 75% OF THE REPUBLICANS AND THE PRESIDENT WOULD AGREE ON A, ON A, ON A, ON A BAN, THEN I WOULD LOOK AT THAT AS A POTENTIAL TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE ONCE AND FOR ALL. BUT THE FACT BUT THE THE POSSIBILITY OF THE REPUBLICANS AND THE DEMOCRATS AGREEING ON ANYTHING AT 75% WILL NEVER HAPPEN. SO I WILL NOT VOTE TO CHANGE ANYTHING, AND I WILL AGAIN AGREE. I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES ON THE ON HERE THAT HAVE SPOKEN THAT IT SHOULD STAY AS A STATE RIGHT COUNCILOR PRESCOTT, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT I AM PRO-LIFE. MY RECORD IN THE STATE SENATE SHOWS THAT THAT I'VE HAD 100% RATINGS FROM THE GROUPS SIMILAR TO RIGHT TO LIFE HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND CORNERSTONE POLICY RESEARCH. DURING MY TIME IN THE LEGISLATURE, IT WAS BALANCED WITH ROE V WADE AND NOW THAT WE HAVE THE THE DECISION TO TURN THAT RESPONSIBILITY BACK TO THE STATES, I AGREE THAT IT SHOULD STAY HERE IN OUR STATE, NOT BE A TOP DOWN WAY OF DEALING WITH ABORTION. IT SHOULD BE LEAVE IT TO THE STATES. I BELIEVE THIS WHOLEHEARTEDLY IN TERMS OF OUR 10TH AMENDMENT TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION, WHICH MEANS THAT THINGS THAT THE STATES CAN DO AND SHOULD DO FOR THEMSELVES, AND THEY HAVEN'T TURNED THAT OVER TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, SHOULD STAY WITH THE STATES. AND THAT GOES WITH MANY THINGS, INCLUDING OUR ELECTIONS, WHERE I AM VERY, VERY DISTRAUGHT OVER CHRIS PAPPAS TRYING TO HAVE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TAKE OVER OUR ELECTIONS HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, WE SHOULD ABIDE BY THE 10TH AMENDMENT, KEEP THINGS IN THE STATE. NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM MONICA HERNANDEZ, A SUPPORT FOR FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP IS A DOMINANT ISSUE IN THIS RACE. BUT THE LAST CANDIDATE WHO RAN AGAINST THE DEMOCRATIC INCUMBENT IN THIS DISTRICT BACK IN 2022 WAS AN ARDENT TRUMP SUPPORTER, AND SHE LOST. SO WHY IS ALIGNING YOURSELF WITH TRUMP A WINNING STRATEGY HERE? COUNCILOR PRESCOTT, WE'LL START WITH YOU. YOU KNOW, IT SAID THAT THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION OF OUR LIFETIME. AND I'VE HEARD IT SO MANY TIMES AND MANY TIMES I'VE HAD QUESTIONS. MAYBE IT'S NOT. BUT TO ME, THIS ONE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION OF A LIFETIME. AND FRANKLY, THE WAY TO GET OUT OF THIS TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE THE DIRECTION, IS TO HAVE TRUMP WIN IN NOVEMBER, KEEP THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND MAKE SURE WE GET CONTROL OF THE STATE OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE. IF WE DON'T, WE ARE ON A ROAD TOWARDS SOCIALISM. WE ARE ON A ROAD TOWARDS IGNORING OUR CONSTITUTION. THAT HAPPENED WITH THIS ADMINISTRATION. HARRIS, BIDEN ADMINISTRATION DISOBEYED THE CONSTITUTION. THEY DID NOT WORK AS THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH TO ADMINISTER THE LAWS AT OUR BORDER. IF WE CONTINUE, IF WE LOSE THE HOUSE, THE WHITE HOUSE, THAT WILL CONTINUE. AND THE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE OBSTRUCTION OF OUR CONSTITUTION, WE'RE ONE STEP CLOSER TO A DEMOCRACY. AND A DEMOCRACY CAN TAKE AWAY OUR RIGHTS WITH A SINGLE VOTE. ALDERMAN LEVASSEUR, YOU KNOW, THE SIMPLE QUESTION IS, ARE YOU BETTER OFF TODAY THAN YOU WERE FOUR YEARS AGO? I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYBODY THAT THINKS WE'RE BETTER OFF TODAY THAN WE WERE FOUR YEARS AGO. I HAVE TRUMP ROBUST ON MY SIGNS. IT'S NOT A SLOGAN, IT'S A FACT. IF WE DON'T CHANGE THIS ADMINISTRATION AND GET BACK TO WHERE WE WERE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO ANYWHERE. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE HIGHER INFLATION. THE WALL IS NEVER GOING TO GET BUILT. IMMIGRATION IS GOING TO CONTINUE. THE DEFICIT IS GOING TO HIT 36 TRILLION BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR. AND THESE THINGS WILL NEVER END. YOU KNOW, WITH TRUMP IN OFFICE, I MEAN, PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THE GUY, BUT I LOVE HIS POLICIES. I LOVE WHAT HE'S DONE FOR THE COUNTRY. AND I THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I GOT IN. YOU KNOW, CHRIS PAPPAS SPENT THE LAST FOUR YEARS TWICE. HE IMPEACHED A GUY OVER NOTHING. THEY PLAY POLITICS. THEY'VE JUST BEEN GOING AFTER THIS GUY. LET HIM DO HIS JOB, LET HIM DO WHAT HE DOES. WELL FOR AMERICA, WHICH IS THE GREAT POLICIES THAT HE'S ENABLED. HE BROUGHT PEACE TO THE MIDDLE EAST, FOR GOODNESS SAKES. HE GAVE US AN ECONOMY LIKE WE'VE NEVER SEEN. INFLATION WAS BELOW 2%. OUR OUR INTEREST RATES WERE BELOW 3% FOR OUR HOMES. WE I MEAN, LOOK AT WHERE YOU ARE TODAY AND LOOK WHERE WE WERE. IT'S A NO BRAINER. MR. BRIGHT. I DON'T SUBSCRIBE TO FANBOY POLITICS. I MEAN, AS AN ARMY OFFICER, I SWORE AN OATH TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. PERIOD. END STOP. SO DO I LIKE DONALD TRUMP'S POLICIES? I DO, I THINK ALL OF HIS POLICIES MAKE A TON OF SENSE. THE BORDER WAS SECURE. OUR ECONOMY WAS HUMMING, AND QUITE FRANKLY, WHAT GOT ME OVER THE EDGE WITH DONALD TRUMP WAS WHEN HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO DRAIN THE SWAMP. THAT RESONATED WITH ME BECAUSE I WAS TIRED OF POLITICIANS, AND I'LL COME BACK TO WHAT I SAID EARLIER. HOLLY IS GOING TO LOOK YOU IN THE EYE AND TELL YOU THAT SHE WAS WRITING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF CHECKS AND HER OWN WORDS PAID TO PLAY, TO GIVE HERSELF A SWAMPY ADVANTAGE THAT OTHER AMERICANS JUST SIMPLY DIDN'T HAVE. I DIDN'T HAVE THAT WHEN I BUILT MY BUSINESS. SO WHEN I LOOKED AT DONALD TRUMP AND WHEN I LOOK AT WHAT HE STANDS FOR, IT'S ABOUT EVERYDAY AMERICANS HELPING PEOPLE GET AHEAD, HELPING THEM BE ABLE TO AFFORD GAS, HELPING THEM BE ABLE TO AFFORD GROCERIES, SECURING OUR BORDER AND GETTING THIS COUNTRY BACK ON A ON A TRACK OF PROSPERITY. MR. ZELENSKYY SECONDS TO RESPOND. CHRIS. YOU KEEP ATTACKING ME. AND I THINK THAT'S ONLY BECAUSE YOU'RE FEELING AT RISK. BUT THE REAL, REAL REASON IS WE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR BUY AMERICAN AT THE STATE, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL LEVEL FOR TWO DECADES BECAUSE THE AMERICAN WORKER IS MY BEST ASSET. AND THIS COUNTRY'S MOST VALUABLE ASSET. AND WE NEED TO PROTECT THE AMERICAN WORKER AND BUY AMERICAN WILL SAVE JOBS AND SAVE PEOPLE AT THE KITCHEN TABLE. AND I WILL ALWAYS FIGHT FOR THEM. AND I AM NOT ASHAMED OF IT. I'VE SPENT $50,000 ON REPUBLICAN, REPUBLICAN TICKETS IN LESS THAN 2000 5000 OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES. THAT'S TIME. NOT BUYING IT, MISS NOVELESQUE, YOU HAD A CHANCE TO RESPOND TO TO THAT. BUT I ALSO WANT TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO RESPOND TO THIS PARTICULAR QUESTION. SO WHY IS ALIGNING YOURSELF WITH TRUMP A WINNING STRATEGY? BECAUSE THE BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION HAS WEAKENED NOT ONLY OUR NATION, BUT THE WORLD. WE HAVE OUT OF CONTROL ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. WE HAVE RISING ENERGY COSTS, RISING INTEREST RATES, PEOPLE AT THE KITCHEN TABLE ARE SUFFERING TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET. AND ON THE NATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL LEVEL, WE HAVE DESTABILIZED THE WORLD. I, AS A JEWISH AMERICAN, FEEL THAT THE ONLY WAY I CAN BE SAFE AND MY GRANDCHILDREN CAN BE SAFE ON THE INTERNATIONAL WORLD IS THROUGH STRENGTH AND TRUMP PROVIDES THAT. SO I FEEL THAT THE STRENGTH THAT HE PROVIDES NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY THROUGH ENERGY INDEPENDENCE, SHUTTING DOWN ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AND BEING STRONG ON THE INTERNATIONAL BORDER IS THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM STEVE BOTTARI, A BIPARTISAN, COMPREHENSIVE BORDER BILL CRAFTED BY A CONSERVATIVE SENATE REPUBLICAN WAS SHELVED AFTER FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP CAME OUT AGAINST IT. WHAT PROVISIONS FROM THAT LEGISLATION WOULD YOU BRING BACK FOR A NEW BORDER BILL? ALDERMAN LEVASSEUR, TO YOU FIRST? YEAH, THAT BILL WAS NOT A BILL THAT MADE ANY SENSE. IT STILL ALLOWED 5000 PEOPLE A DAY OR 4500 PEOPLE A DAY, TO COME ACROSS THE BORDER. I MEAN, THE BILL WAS WRITTEN THAT ALLOWED ANOTHER MILLION AND A HALF PEOPLE TO KEEP COMING IN. RIGHT NOW, OUR UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS ARE GOING UP. A NATIVE AMERICAN NUMBERS OF UNEMPLOYMENT ARE REALLY HIGH, AND THE CRACKS IN THE ECONOMY ARE REALLY STARTING TO SHOW. IT WOULD BE ONE THING IF WE ALLOWED 2 MILLION PEOPLE TO COME IN OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS. WE'VE ALLOWED 10 MILLION PEOPLE TO COME IN FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS. HOW'S THAT WORKING OUT FOR AMERICA? HIGHER INFLATION, HIGHER FOOD COSTS, HIGHER HOUSING COSTS? TRY TO GET RENTING AN APARTMENT. WHAT DO YOU THINK? THEY'RE ALL LIVING. THEY'RE MOVING INTO ALL YOUR BUILDINGS. THEY'RE MOVING INTO THE APARTMENTS. THEY'RE BUYING A LOT OF FOOD. THEY'RE GETTING SUBSIDIES. MEDICAID IS GOING THROUGH THE ROOF BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THEM FOR HEALTH CARE. WELFARE IS GOING UP. EBT CARDS ARE GOING UP. SO YEAH, TRUMP WAS RIGHT. AND THE REPUBLICANS HAD HELD FIRM ON THAT BILL WERE RIGHT. DON'T YOU'RE GOING TO YOU NEED TO STOP THE FLOW AND FIGURE OUT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO FROM HERE. COUNSELOR PRESCOTT, SAME QUESTION. IT'S CALLED A SHOW VOTE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. IT'S PART OF THE THE SWAMP. THEY'RE WHAT WE CALL IT IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. WHEN I WAS IN THE STATE SENATE, WAS A POISON PILL. IT'S A POISON PILL. WHEN YOU PUT IN THINGS THAT SHOULDN'T BE THERE, THAT WE KNOW WHEN IT GETS TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE THE U.S. SENATE, THAT THEY'RE JUST NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR IT. SO IT'S JUST A SHOW VOTE SO THAT THEY CAN USE IT TO SAY, WE TRIED TO DO SOMETHING BIPARTISAN. AND WHAT HAPPENED? REPUBLICANS WERE STALLING IT. THEY'RE NOT THE ONES THAT WANT TO FIX THE BORDER. A POISON PILL IS SOMETHING THAT THE OTHER SIDE WOULD NEVER VOTE FOR. THAT'S NOT CALLED BIPARTISANSHIP. THAT IS CALLED STONEWALLING AND MAKING SURE THAT THE BILL NEVER PASSES. WE NEED A BIPARTISAN WAY THROUGH TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SECURE OUR BORDER AND AS WELL AS MAKE SURE WE REFORM OUR IMMIGRATION SO THAT MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE QUALIFIED AND HAVE PEOPLE HERE THAT ARE GOING TO ACCEPT THEM AS MENTORS, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED HERE FOR IMMIGRATION. WE DON'T NEED POISON PILLS AND SHOW VOTES LIKE THE WASHINGTON DC SWAMP NEWS 9 ZELENSKYY. THANK YOU. WE DON'T NEED TWO TIERS OF OF IMMIGRATION. WE NEED TO FIX OUR LEGAL IMMIGRATION, BUT WE NEED TO SHUT DOWN ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AND AS THEY HAD NOTED, IT'S GOING TO ALLOW FOR ANOTHER 1.5 TO 1.8 MILLION ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, A YEAR. WE CANNOT HAVE TWO TIERS. I HAVE PEOPLE IN MY SHOP WHO HAVE WAITED YEARS TO COME HERE. PEOPLE THROUGH THE THAI REFUGEE CAMPS TO AVOID TO ESCAPE THE KHMER ROUGE. I HAVE PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T SEE THEIR CHILDREN AND WIFE FOR THREE YEARS WAITING TO GET A VISA. THEY'VE DONE IT THE RIGHT WAY. WE NEED TO HONOR WHAT THE SACRIFICE THAT THEY DID TO COME HERE. THE RIGHT WAY. BUT WE NEED TO SHUT DOWN ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AND NO PART OF THAT BILL WOULD I ACCEPT. MR. BRIGHT, WE COULD CLOSE OUR BORDER ON DAY ONE. HOW DO I KNOW THIS? BECAUSE WE ALREADY WERE DOING THAT UNDER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP. THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY DO. EVERYBODY GETS UP AND SAYS, WE NEED TO CLOSE THE BORDER. YEAH, WE GET THAT. HOW DO YOU DO IT, THOUGH? HOW DO YOU DO IT? YOU COULD START BY CONTINUING TO BUILD THAT WALL. AND I'M LOOK, I'M OBJECTIVE. I REALIZE THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO BUILD A WALL AGAINST OUR ENTIRE BORDER, BUT WE CAN AUGMENT THAT, THAT THOSE OPENINGS WITH TECHNOLOGY, WE COULD FUNNEL PEOPLE TO THE AREAS THAT WE NEED TO GO. THE BORDER PATROL THEMSELVES HAS SAID THEY ARE 2800 PEOPLE SHORT. I WOULD GIVE THEM THOSE AGENTS. I WOULD ALSO GIVE THEM AN EXTRA 200 PEOPLE TO ADJUDICATE ALL THESE FICTITIOUS ASYLUM CLAIMS. THERE'S ANOTHER POLICY CALLED JUS SOLI, WHICH MEANS IF YOU ARE A A CHILD BORN ON AMERICAN SOIL SOIL, YOU ARE AUTOMATICALLY GIVEN AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP. I WOULD ACT TO REPEAL THAT BECAUSE I BELIEVE IF YOU ARE A CHILD BORN TO AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT, THAT CHILD SHOULD ALSO BE AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT. AND I WOULD WORK TO UNDO THAT. THOSE ARE THREE ACTIONABLE STEPS THAT WE CAN DO ON DAY ONE TO CURB THIS INVASION. AT OUR BORDER CANDIDATES A TOP ISSUE FOR GRANITE STATERS IS HOUSING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. WHAT CAN YOU DO ON CAPITOL HILL TO ALLEVIATE THIS CRISIS? 45 SECOND ANSWERS FIRST TO YOU, MR. VALESKY. FIRST, WE NEED TO GET INTEREST RATES DOWN BY STOPPING SOME OF THE SPENDING. THIS EXCESS OF SPENDING AND GET INTEREST RATES DOWN. WE ALSO NEED TO HAVE BLOCK GRANTS THAT COME TO THE STATES AND LET THE STATES FIGURE IT OUT THROUGH HUD. BUT ALSO WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE GREEN ENERGY MANDATES FOR BUILDING. WE NEED TO STOP MANDATING ENERGY CODES FOR THE BUILDING. INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODES, BECAUSE THEY ESTIMATE BETWEEN 7530 $30,000. THAT ADDS TO A COST OF A HOUSE WITH THE RETURN OF 1 TO $200 A YEAR. THAT'S A. 35 TO 75 YEAR PAYOUT ON THE LOW END. WE NEED TO STOP LOOKING AT THESE GREEN INITIATIVES, MR. BRIGHT. BLOCK GRANT SOUNDS AWFULLY DEMOCRATIC TO ME. ANYTIME YOU START GIVING PEOPLE MONEY THAT ADJUSTS THE SUPPLY AND DEMAND, THE HOUSING PROBLEM IN THIS COUNTRY IS A SUPPLY AND DEMAND ISSUE, AND YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND HOW IT WORKS. THE AVERAGE AGE OF SKILLED LABOR IN THIS COUNTRY IS 55 YEARS OLD, AND FOR EVERY FIVE THAT'S RETIRING EACH YEAR, ONLY ONE IS GOING INTO THE TRADES. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN EVEN BIGGER PROBLEM IN A COUPLE OF YEARS. SO INSTEAD OF HELPING PEOPLE PAY OFF THEIR STUDENT LOAN DEBTS, WHY DON'T WE FOCUS ON GETTING MORE PEOPLE INTO THE TRADES AND STARTING TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ACTUAL MICROECONOMIC LEVERS THAT ARE THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE COST OF HOUSING IN THIS COUNTRY? TO YOU, COUNCILOR PRESCOTT, THANK YOU. DURING MY TIME IN THE STATE SENATE, WE BALANCED BUDGETS AGAIN BY WEIGHING OUR OUR NEEDS AND OUR WANTS. BUT WHAT THAT WILL SIGNAL TO THE FEDERAL RESERVE IS THAT THEY WILL SEE THAT WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT GETTING TO A BALANCED BUDGET SO WE CAN TAKE CARE OF THE NEEDS OF OUR COUNTRY AND NOT OVERSPEND THE BALANCED BUDGET IN THE UNITED STATES IS ONE IS 6% OF OUR GDP IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. AT THE TIME THAT I WAS THERE AND CORRECTED IT, IT WAS 1% OF GDP FOR THE STATE. WE CORRECTED THAT IN ONE YEAR. IT'S REASONABLE AND FEASIBLE THAT WE CAN CORRECT THE BALANCING OF OUR BUDGET WITHIN SIX YEARS. IF WE DID 1% AT A TIME. ALSO, ONCE WE DO SIGNAL THAT THE THE FEDERAL RESERVE THAT WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT CUTTING OUR BUDGET DEFICITS, WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THE INTEREST RATES WILL COME DOWN AND THE FEDERAL RESERVE WILL DO THEIR JOB TO SPUR THE ECONOMY, AND THAT WILL HELP HOUSING AFFORDABILITY. THIS BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS LOADED WITH IDIOTS. I'LL LET 10 MILLION PEOPLE COME INTO YOUR COUNTRY. DON'T WORRY ABOUT HOUSING. DON'T THINK ABOUT HOUSING. WE ALREADY HAD A HOUSING PROBLEM BEFORE. IN FOUR YEARS AGO, AND THEN THEY DECIDE TO LET 10 MILLION PEOPLE IN. AND YOU WONDER WHY YOU HAVE A HOUSING CRISIS. IT IS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE THE MONEY AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR LOW INCOME HOUSING. MANCHESTER HAS 5 OR 6 BUILDINGS THAT ARE SENIOR FOR OUR SENIORS THAT THAT IS BASED ON THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY OR THEIR INCOME, AND THEY ARE THEY ARE OWNED AND THEY ARE OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THEY HAVE THE MONEY, THEY HAVE THE AUTHORITY, THEY HAVE THE KNOW HOW, AND THEY HAVE THE EXPERIENCE TO DO THAT. THEY NEED TO DO IT NOT ONLY IN MANCHESTER BUT ACROSS THE STATE. AND THEY NEED TO DO IT EVERYWHERE. LOW, AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR OUR SENIORS AND VETERANS NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. IF I GET DOWN THERE, THAT WILL BE A PRIORITY FOR ME. OKAY, UNFORTUNATELY, WE'VE HIT THE END OF OUR TIME. IT WAS FUN. CANDIDATES, WE APPRECIATE IT. YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CANDIDATES POSITIONS ON THESE ISSUES AND MANY OTHERS BY GOING TO WMUR DOT COM OR OUR FREE MOBILE APP. YOU CAN ALSO WATCH ALL OF THIS WEEK'S DEBATES THERE. AHEAD OF TUESDAY'S PRIMARY ELECTION, AND YOU CAN FIND INFORMATION ABOUT HOW AND WHERE TO CAST YOUR BALLOT. WE, OF COURSE, WANT TO THANK THE NEW HAMPSHIRE INSTITUTE OF POLITICS AT SAINT ANSELM COLLEGE FOR THEIR PARTNERSHIP ON THIS DEBATE. THANK YOU TO THE CANDIDATES. HOLLY VALESKY, CHRIS BRIGHT, RUSSELL PRESCOTT AND JOE KELLY LEVASSEUR. THANK YOU TO OUR MODERATORS AND THANK YOU AT HOME FOR WATCHING. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.