A flamable mixture of personalities and politics is inflicting a rift between Democrats in New Hampshire’s 2nd Congressional District.
The seat has been safely within the arms of Democrat Ann McLane Kuster for the previous six phrases, in line with Politico.
However the race to succeed her has change into “brutally ugly,” Politico opined, as Colin Van Ostern, a former Kuster staffer, fends of a problem from Maggie Goodlander, who occurs to be the spouse of White Home Nationwide Safety Adviser Jake Sullivan.
The candidates have dueled over abortion, with every making an attempt to color the opposite as much less supportive of one of many Democratic Social gathering’s most revered of points.
Kuster launched an advert saying Goodlander “gave hundreds to pro-life Republicans.”
Goodlander, who had shared with voters her private story of shedding her youngster when she was pregnant, stated she did donate to 2 Republicans — former Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan, an anti-Trump Republican, and a former classmate taking over former Rep. Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina in a GOP major.
“He is aware of my private expertise and story, and I believe the form of marketing campaign that he’s determined to run is deeply dishonest and disgraceful,” she stated. “My opponent labored for an anti-choice congressman, however I’m not questioning his dedication to reproductive freedom.”
From Kuster’s advert onward, the battle has escalated in depth.
“Maggie is just not solely an exceptionally certified candidate, however she’s additionally the kind of chief that New Dems must be welcoming into our ranks,” Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts stated. “We must be preventing Republicans and supporting candidates in frontline races, not attacking the strongest Democrats who’re most aligned with our values in primaries.”
Kuster, nevertheless, stated she was solely responding to an assault from Goodlander on Van Ostern that centered on his a number of campaigns for workplace.
“New Hampshire has by no means seen a damaging assault advert like that in a Democratic advert. That has by no means occurred,” Kuster stated. “I’d not have been concerned with out that advert.”
However some say Van Ostern is the one who went low. Former New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch, a Democrat, withdrew his backing of Van Ostern and now helps Goodlander, in line with NBC.
“I respect Colin, however I don’t respect his marketing campaign,” Lynch stated when he modified sides.
“I turned more and more upset on the form of marketing campaign that Colin was working. I believe it was form of the stress and the nastiness that saved escalating that brought about me to withdraw my assist for Colin,” he stated.
Van Ostern’s facet stated Goodlander opened the floodgates and is utilizing out-of-state cash to run her marketing campaign.
“Let’s be clear: On the route of Maggie Goodlander and her marketing campaign, darkish cash teams and tremendous PACs began all this with over $1 million in misleading assault adverts,” stated Jordan Kathleen Burns, Van Ostern’s marketing campaign supervisor.
Whichever Democrat wins Tuesday may have an opponent in November. In response to the Associated Press, there are a few dozen candidate in search of the GOP nomination within the race. Vikram Mansharamani, an creator and economist, and Lily Tang Williams, the 2022 candidate within the race, have set the tempo in elevating cash.
This text appeared initially on The Western Journal.