Smith, Lamontagne Debate Gambling, Gun Control

Republican gubernatorial candidates Kevin Smith and Ovide Lamontagne clashed on very few occasions during a Southern N.H. 9-12 Project debate in Windham Thursday, electing instead to tout their experience levels with less than two weeks before the state primary.

At times the two hopefuls for governor were so aligned that debate moderator Andrew Hemingway referenced a joke backstage that he would find more disagreements with fellow moderator Paul Westcott.

But the two did engage back and forth on their proposed expanded gaming strategies, with both accusing the other of flip-flopping on their previous position against the idea.

Smith also acknowledged Lamontagne's law firm, which represents Rockingham Park, the location that Lamontagne said he wants to put a casino.

Lamontagne took exception to the allusion of a conflict of interest.

"We represent hundreds of clients," Lamontagne said. "If I'm elected governor, I leave my firm. I leave my business."

Lamontagne countered that Smith has made an "election year conversion" to support expanded gaming, but Smith argued that he opposed a "proliferation" of expanded gaming.

The gambling conversation was engaged by Salem Selectman Stephen Campbell, who asked how the state can have a lottery but deny Salem a chance to flourish with a casino.

Smith has repeatedly told voters on the stump that he is open to a bidding process for two casino licenses, while Lamontagne wants one casino specifically at Rockingham Park.

The two were also slightly unaligned on their gun control positions.

Smith said that he would want to comprehensively study what passing a constitutional carry law would do for the state.

Lamontagne told the audience that he is the only candidate for governor who owns both a firearm and a hunting license.

"If the legislature passes constitutional carry with the right conditions, I will sign that bill," he said.

Many of the answers that both candidates gave to questions involved both deregulating the state and stopping federal government control.

Lamontagne gave the example of the N.H. Department of Environmental Services, which he called "out of control."

Smith elaborated further by trashing the Sustainable Communities Initiative, calling it a federal, agenda-driven program orchestrated by the government agency HUD, or Housing and Urban Development.

"They are trying to severely curtail private property rights," he said.

Smith said that New Hampshire has to be pro-business, explaining that right now the state "puts up roadblocks every step of the way."

Both candidates have backgrounds in education, and confidently touted their plans to take federal control away from the classrooms.

"Washington has no business in the classrooms of our state, of our schools" Lamontagne said.

"We have to stop our addiction to federal government money," Smith added on education funding.

Smith also attacked tenure, saying that teachers should have to earn tenure. He explained that those who have a pattern of poor performance shouldn't be able to hold on to tenure.

On pension reform, the candidates agreed that the current defined benefit plan needs to be replaced with a defined contribution plan.

Both fired a fair amount of shots at Gov. John Lynch, accusing him of starting bureaucratic institutions and passing laws with rule-making authority.

"We give much too much authority as a state to the government bur to set their own rules," Smith said.

"To the extent that we can keep government local, we're going to keep government in check," Lamontagne added.

Smith and Lamontagne aren't done at Windham High School. The two will return to the same auditorium on Sept. 9, just two days before the primary.

That debate will be sponsored by Americans for Prosperity – New Hampshire.