Posted on 09/09/2001 11:29:19 AM PDT by t-shirt
Collision Course?
Smith and Sununu Make Nice at N.H. Event, Despite Rivalry September 6, 2001
By Rachel Van Dongen
MANCHESTER, N.H. - At a gathering of New Hampshire businessmen last week, Sen. Bob Smith and his Republican colleague, Rep. John Sununu, politely fielded questions on subjects ranging from the budget surplus to the appropriate punishment for California Rep. Gary Condit (D). With the Republicans side by side in giant armchairs for the hour-and-a-half forum, agreeing more than disagreeing, there was little hint of the fact that Sununu, a three-term Congressman and son of the Granite State's former governor, is weighing the decidedly less-than-civil move of challenging Smith for his Senate seat next year.
That was the case, at least, until the last question, submitted by a politically savvy audience member to the moderator of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce's annual Congressional luncheon. What, he asked, were the plans of Smith, Sununu and Rep. Charlie Bass (R) - who also attended the forum to accept with his colleagues a "spirit of enterprise" award - for the 2002 elections?
"I'm declaring my candidacy for Senate," quipped Bass, New Hampshire's other Congressman and someone who, like many New Hampshire Republicans, has found himself in the middle of an increasingly likely and uncomfortable battle between his Republican colleagues.
Sununu sidestepped the query, replying that the "question for me will be how best can I serve," and that he would reveal his decision by the end of the Congressional session. But Smith, who barely escaped defeat in his 1996 re-election contest and could face a two-pronged attack in the midterm elections from Sununu and New Hampshire Gov. Jeanne Shaheen (D), was characteristically firm in his reply.
"Rumors to the contrary, I am a candidate for re-election," affirmed the affable Senator, who earned the enmity of many of the state's Republicans when he fled the GOP in the summer of 1999 to pursue an unsuccessful presidential bid. He returned in November of that year to claim the helm of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee following the death of Sen. John Chafee (R-R.I.).
Pursuing an aggressive re-election strategy launched in November 1999, Smith boasted of his seniority and the collective experience of the entire New Hampshire delegation.
"When I first got elected to the Senate, I hated the seniority system, but now I think I've gotten used to it," he said to chuckles from the crowd of 260 business leaders and politicians, including some who are interested in succeeding Sununu if he vacates his House seat. The sophomore Senator pointed out that he had been chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee when Republicans were in the majority - a credential that drew him both praise and criticism - and was set to shepherd a revision of highway laws as its ranking member.
"If I'm the Senator, I'll be at the table on that," he declared.
Comparing the four-man delegation consisting of himself, Sununu, Bass and GOP Sen. Judd Gregg (who couldn't attend the forum because of other obligations, according to the moderator) to a marriage, Smith pointed out they have in excess of 50 years of seniority combined.
"Like a marriage, you're going to have differences of opinion sometimes; but you try to keep the marriage," he said. "I think we have a pretty good delegation, and I'd like to see us keep it."
Seniority arguments have met with mixed success in tough re-election contests - it didn't help the cause of ousted Senate Finance Chairman Bill Roth (R-Del.) in 2000, but neither did the former Senator's age and frail health.
The 60-year-old Smith has embarked on an early starting and vigorous re-election campaign that saw him hire a national fundraiser last year and do two bus tours across the state over the August recess, unusual activities for the year before an election.
This approach has reaped financial rewards, resulting in Smith collecting $954,000 over the first six months of the year and banking $1.4 million. By comparison, Sununu raised $566,000 and banked $533,000.
The Senator also aired early radio spots over the recess, nine months before he began doing so in his 1996 re-election race. The ads focused on his "experience" in the Senate and invoked the name of former President Ronald Reagan.
He is currently airing two more radio spots that tout his support for prescription drugs and environmental cleanups.
Smith seems aware that he has a tough road ahead of him, the result of his poor showing in the last election and quixotic party switch. Prominent Republicans such as former Sen. Warren Rudman and ex-Rep. Chuck Douglas have broken ranks with him in favor of Sununu following poll numbers that showed Smith losing to Shaheen. The latest American Research Group survey, at the end of July, polled 600 New Hampshire residents and found Sununu beating Shaheen 49 to 35 percent, while Smith and Shaheen were tied at 42 percent each. Smith's Congressional colleagues - Bass and Gregg - have refused to take sides in the brewing fight, angering the Senator.
"I have a fine working relationship with both of them," Bass insisted at the Chamber of Commerce luncheon. "I don't know whether they're working together or not."
However, Smith has also received some high-profile support from a powerful ally, President Bush, who the Wall Street Journal recently pointed out was responsible for the firing of the Congressman's father, John H. Sununu, as former White House chief of staff to Bush's father.
Despite rumors to the contrary, the White House has come out in support of Smith, as it says it will do for all Senate incumbents. In fact, Bush senior adviser Karl Rove attended a July fundraiser for Smith in New Hampshire.
The Senator also has the backing of Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) and National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Bill Frist (Tenn.), who need to hold the New Hampshire seat in order to have any chance of reclaiming the Senate majority. Like Smith, Sununu spent much of the August recess traveling the state, including stops in Bass' Nashua-based 2nd district, which has many convinced that he is certainly eyeing a statewide run.
In an interview Sununu said his talks with voters during the August recess have not discouraged him from getting into what is expected to be an extremely bloody primary.
"Voters across the state have made clear that they want to have a strong, consistent voice in Washington," Sununu said. "Since I first raised the possibility of running in 2002, response, concerns and voices are very consistent."
He argued that Shaheen's decision to open a fundraising committee, the first step in becoming a Senate candidate, has only increased the need for a formidable Republican nominee.
"I think it makes it clear that we're going to need the strongest possible candidate," the Congressman said.
Attendees of the luncheon, who were buzzing about the possibility of a Smith-Sununu showdown, despite the policy-oriented nature of the event, also seemed uncertain about their allegiances. "I hear he is running," said former Manchester Mayor Raymond Wieczorek, who challenged Sununu in the 1996 Republican primary but now serves as a campaign co-chairman. "I guess it depends what you hear last." If Smith and Sununu end up on a collision course, Wieczorek said it would be difficult for him to choose sides. "Bob has been the senior Senator from New Hampshire, he's got some seniority," the mayor said, proving that the seniority argument may be working with some Republicans. "Even if you don't like seniority, it's an important fact of life." "There's strong support in the business community for both Bob Smith and John Sununu," echoed Bill Cahill, former executive councilor and a likely candidate for Sununu's House seat if it is open. "People are taking one step back and just watching things happen."
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Smith: Sununu run will help Shaheen
By RAY CARBONE
Lakes Region Bureau Editor
WOLFEBORO — Among his hometown Republicans Saturday, U.S. Sen. Bob Smith cautioned that a tough primary battle could do serious damage to efforts to defeat probable Democratic opponent Gov. Jeanne Shaheen.
He also defended his decision to leave the Republican Party to stage a failed independent campaign for the presidency in 1999 before returning to the GOP four months later. Some party operatives say Smith lost support at the grass-roots level when he bolted the party, which has left him vulnerable to a challenge from U.S. Rep. John E. Sununu.
The congressman has not said that he is running, but he has done nothing to dissuade those anxious to draft him for a primary race against Smith.
At the Carroll County Republicans Picnic Committee BBQ Sizzle at the Pierce Camp Birchwood Saturday, Smith talked candidly with the crowd of about 100 people about his short-lived defection and his decision to return.
"I don’t usually talk about this, but I’m home and I want to say this," he said.
Smith said his actions were based on principal and that he was not sorry for a speech that he made on the Senate floor criticizing the party when he left.
"I was frightened by some of the things that were occurring," he said, noting that some GOP colleagues at that time were favoring issues like gun control, which the party traditionally opposed. "A great party should be able to take criticism," he added.
Smith did not apologize for his independent campaign, but he say that "it was a mistake."
"There are people in our party who go against the principals of the party," the senator commented. "I never left it in my heart."
A primary race would cripple the winning candidate in a race against Shaheen, Smith said.
"If we divide ourselves in a primary, I don’t know how we’ll ever recover," he said, noting that there are only eight weeks between the primary and the election.
National organizations that spend money independently of any campaign would like play a major role in the race, he said.
"This will not be a local race, whether you like it or not," Smith told the crowd. "It’s going to be nasty. The undecided — if there are any by the time election day comes around — won’t know who to vote for or what to do."
Smith made similar comments later in the day at a GOP chilifest sponsored by the Seacoast Federation of Republican Women in Stratham.
Sununu, who spoke before Smith, had no comment on the senator’s remarks.
In his short speech, Sununu also stressed party unity, as well as traditional Republican themes like low taxes, limited government and personal responsibility. He made no reference to a possible Senate run, but touted President Bush’s leadership.
"It’s important to have Republic president," he said. "We control the bully pulpit."
Sununu also said that the GOP was in good shape nationally while a redistricting program was underway.
"We’re going to pick up seats in the House because we control the re-districting process," he said.
In addition the possible primary candidates, three men who are considered front-runners in the governor’s race talked to the crowd.
Bruce Keogh of Dublin said the state needs a leader who could "unite the legislature and the people on education funding plan that focuses on more than one or two years" and promised to get the State Supreme Court out of the school funding issue spurred by the Claremont lawsuit.
"You have to get the issue back in the hands of the legislature or we’ll end up fighting a never-ending battle," he said.
Craig Benson, the founder of Cabletron, said that the next governor would need to bring creativity and innovation to the corner office.
"There are too many people who are happy to stick with old way of doing things. It’s a lot easier just to say ‘can’t’ than ‘can. But we’ve got to say ‘can’ right now."
Former U.S. Senator Gordon Humphrey from Chichester, who lost to Shaheen last year, said he fully supported the GOP platform, waving a copy before the crowd.
He called New Hampshire "the freest one of 50 states" and said he would try to maintain a conservative tax policy to insure that.
"No income tax — not now, not ever dammit. And no sales tax — not now, not ever, dammit," he said.
Humphrey said that, if elected, he would use the governor’s office to raise awareness of citizens doing good work, including those in faith-based institutions.
Also speaking at the event were several people who will likely seek Sununu’s congressional seat if he runs against Smith, including Christopher Boothby of Meredith.
Ray Carbone can be reached by calling 524-3800, ext. 5941, or by e-mail at rcarbone@citizen.com
Support Bob Smith for re-election for US Senate---the most conservative pro-2ndAmedment and pro-life Senator by far!
Did you read the article? Bush is endorsing every incumbent Senator. That's what most presidents do.
As much as you've trashed Bush over the last month, I don't see how you can post a positive comment about him with a straight face.
If Sununu is a RINO, so is Smith.
That rating doesn't reflect supporting anti-Constitutional things like sending troops to Kosovo, Macedonia. Or placing troops under foreign command or under United Nations command.
That rating does not reflect whether you support NAFTA, WTO, United Nations operation, or funding various UN programs.
That rating does not reflect whether you support having the CIA train Albanian terrorists to murder Christians in Serbia, Macedonia, Kosovo and elsewhere in the Balkans.
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