Burling, McLaughlin tout records

Concord Monitor ^ | May 4, 2004 | JENNIFER SKALKA

[DM1]

They say they're well-prepared for run at Benson

Democratic gubernatorial candidates Phil McLaughlin and Peter Burling campaigned together for the second time last night, telling the Manchester City Democrats that their respective leadership experiences make them qualified to challenge Republican Gov. Craig Benson.

"Phil and I are starting the grand tour," said Burling, a state representative from Cornish and the minority leader in the House. "He and I will be like wing mates for the next few months, visiting every hamlet in New Hampshire."

The Democrats running for governor, however, are sauntering out of the gate, not sprinting. Both McLaughlin, a former state attorney general, and Burling have announced the formation of exploratory committees. Ultimately, both are expected to launch campaigns. The primary election is in September.

The two men have taken different paths to prominence. Burling has used his position in the Legislature to make a statewide name for himself. In the past, however, he has supported an income tax, a touchy subject for Democrats who believe they lost the corner office in 2002 because of their then-nominee's support for the tax.

McLaughlin served for nearly six years as former governor Jeanne Shaheen's attorney general, tackling such matters as the Catholic Church sex scandal, the state Supreme Court impeachment case and a spate of high-profile murder cases. His only bid for statewide public office was an unsuccessful one, a 1980 campaign for state Senate.

The candidates' first joint appearance was this past weekend, when they campaigned together in Laconia. Yesterday's event was casual and completely cordial. The candidates did not attack each other. They shook hands after they spoke.

Burling and McLaughlin told 30 people in the Manchester Memorial High School library yesterday that Benson has to go. McLaughlin called the governor an "odd duck"who leads with a "my way or the highway" attitude. He also criticized Benson for bringing "volunteers" like Linda Pepin into state government.

"What chance do you think there is if I were the governor of this state that there would be honesty problems or integrity problems in the State House?" McLaughlin said. "There would be no chance of that."

Burling said that Benson's policies are devastating the state. He said the governor "and his band of anarchists" are disassembling state government and driving property taxes through the roof.

"What the Republicans are doing in the State House is a direct threat to your well-being," Burling said.

Burling was forced to address the elephant in the room - the income tax - during a brief question and answer session. When asked if he'd take the pledge to veto broad-based taxes, he said: "I will not take the pledge."

Burling said the state can't afford its swelling deficits and that he'd work with the Legislature to "pass responsible solutions to the problems we face."

McLaughlin also addressed the income tax question, saying: "The next governor of this state is going to have to do something else than focus on the tax question. That governor's going to have to focus on a question this state has always been willing to deal with: What services do we need? What are we willing to pay for it?"

McLaughlin said he'll travel from town to town to determine which programs New Hampshire residents value.

"Let's not throw out this extraordinary advantage around which this state has grown an economy,"he said of New Hampshire's lack of income and sales taxes.

Manchester Sen. Lou D'Allesandro, a Democrat who for now is remaining neutral in the gubernatorial primary, was on hand for last night's discussion. He said he believes the party is fortunate to have two able candidates running. He worries, though, that Benson, whose personal wealth is estimated at $500 million, will be able to easily outspend the eventual nominee. That person will have been consumed with campaigning in a primary, not raising the cash necessary to launch a formidable campaign against Benson.

"What my real problem is in looking at both is the amount of money that needs to be raised in order to win this," D'Allesandro said. ". . . It's very expensive to run this time."

[DM1]

ok I am fairly new to NH and was wondering if Benson will be reelected or if any of these guys are a threat.