The heroin epidemic seems like an issue that wouldn't become a election-year flashpoint. Candidates from both parties regularly talk about the need for government to address the growing problem.
But the independent Republican group One Nation is attacking New Hampshire Governor and Democratic Senate candidate Maggie Hassan as an obstacle in the state's heroin fight.
The ad doesn't mention the Senate race. Instead it asks voters to "tell Governor Hassan it's time to step up on the heroin epidemic," putting the Governor's phone number on the screen. Notably, one day after the One Nation attack ad, Kelly Ayotte's re-election campaign released a positive spot that highlighted her own heroin legislation in the Senate.
Still, Hassan clearly felt wounded by the attack, and tried to turn the tables by quoting Ayotte saying "we should not politicize the issue." The Ayotte campaign shifted the blame back to Hassan for not signing a pledge designed to limit outside spending. (Hassan had pushed her own pledge to limit candidate spending.)
Which candidate got the better of the exchange? It might come down how well Hassan's legislation is received, if the state legislature can get it to her desk.
But the independent Republican group One Nation is attacking New Hampshire Governor and Democratic Senate candidate Maggie Hassan as an obstacle in the state's heroin fight.
Is Gov. Maggie Hassan Failing To Stem Heroin Crisis?
The ad "Last" starts by showing an ambulance while a female narrator explains, "New Hampshire ranked dead last [in New England] in spending on substance abuse programs in 2014" while overdose deaths have been rising. She blames Hassan for a "budget veto last year" that "forced delays for substance abuse programs." As we see a patient wheeled on a gurney, she reminds that earlier this year, Hassan's "drug czar resigned, after being under fire for doing too little, too late."The ad doesn't mention the Senate race. Instead it asks voters to "tell Governor Hassan it's time to step up on the heroin epidemic," putting the Governor's phone number on the screen. Notably, one day after the One Nation attack ad, Kelly Ayotte's re-election campaign released a positive spot that highlighted her own heroin legislation in the Senate.
Or Is Sen. Kelly Ayotte Politicizing The Heroin Crisis?
The timing of the criticism is odd, since Hassan is supporting a bill that would increase the anti-drug effort in the state by $5 million. And it may become law soon; after the bill was rejected by one vote over an unrelated retiree insurance provision, the state legislature is planning to reconvene on the measure in a few days to strip the controversial plank and advance the bill.Still, Hassan clearly felt wounded by the attack, and tried to turn the tables by quoting Ayotte saying "we should not politicize the issue." The Ayotte campaign shifted the blame back to Hassan for not signing a pledge designed to limit outside spending. (Hassan had pushed her own pledge to limit candidate spending.)
Which candidate got the better of the exchange? It might come down how well Hassan's legislation is received, if the state legislature can get it to her desk.