Republican congressional candidate Vikram Mansharamani of Lincoln pressed a primary rival over whether she thought the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump.
Second Congressional District Republican candidate Bill Hamlen of Hanover said GOP voters care more about border security and inflation than whether the 2020 presidential election was rightly decided.
Second Congressional District Republican candidate Lily Tang Williams of Weare has said she still has questions about whether President Donald Trump lost reelection in 2020.
Republican congressional candidate Vikram Mansharamani of Lincoln pressed a primary rival over whether she thought the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump.
HENNIKER — Second Congressional District Republican candidate Vikram Mansharamani of Lincoln repeatedly demanded primary rival Lily Tang Williams of Weare to say if she thought the 2020 election was stolen from former President Donald Trump during a feisty debate Wednesday night at New England College.
Both Hanover investor Bill Hanlem and Mansharamani said Democrat Joe Biden had won the election.
“Nobody asks me about 2020. They ask me about the border, they ask me about inflation, they ask me about what I’m going to do,” Hamlen said.
Mansharamani had joined Gov. Chris Sununu in endorsing former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in the 2024 presidential primary that Trump won in January.
“I think President Biden is in fact the president. I wish it wasn’t the case, it’s the case. We need to get out and vote as Republicans … New Hampshire does it right. I have confidence in election integrity in this state,” Mansharamani said.
Williams said she still “had questions” since Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently conceded the Biden White House pressured his company to censure conservative content during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There are lots of questions that have to be asked … I have lots of questions,” said Williams, who ran for and finished third in the GOP primary for this seat in 2022.
Mansharamani asked Williams, “The election was several years ago. Do you believe it was stolen or not?”
Williams, a Chinese born college professor, declined several requests to give a yes or no answer.
Second Congressional District Republican candidate Lily Tang Williams of Weare has said she still has questions about whether President Donald Trump lost reelection in 2020.
A short time later, Mansharamani was again challenging Williams to say whether she supported the bipartisan aid deal that had the support of Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson that led to federal aid for the war in Ukraine, Israel’s fight against Hamas in Gaza and the government of Taiwan.
“It is cheaper and better for us to stop the aggression now. I am not with (Russian dictator Vladimir) Putin; I am with Ukraine,” Mansharamani said.
Williams said she had supported aid to Ukraine initially, but “after three years, what is the path to victory?”
“I am for Americans first,” said Williams, adding there needs to be a “conversation” before she would support additional aid to Ukraine.
Hamlen said the war in Ukraine was the result of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan that he said signaled to Russia that America was weak.
“We need to have more clarity; where do we go from here? Where does the money go?” Hamlen asked rhetorically.
Mansharamani again pressed the issue with Williams.
“The job of a congressperson is to deliberate on certain information and draw a conclusion on the best information that you have,” he said.”
Second Congressional District Republican candidate Bill Hamlen of Hanover said GOP voters care more about border security and inflation than whether the 2020 presidential election was rightly decided.
“Would you have voted for that? If you say no, then let’s remember you are with the Democrats including the pro-Hamas wing of Democrats.”
Williams shot back, “You are putting me on the spot on purpose. I wanted to separate Ukraine aid from Israel and Taiwan. Why do we always have these huge supplemental bills with all kinds of stuff in it?”
60% undecided in crowded primary
Independent polls show more than 60% were undecided in the GOP primary to replace six-term U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster, D-N.H., who is not running again.
There are 13 Republicans on Tuesday’s ballot and the debate sponsors concluded the three invited candidates had qualified as major contenders.
Many establishment Republicans are backing Mansharamani, including the last two Republicans to hold the seat, Charlie Bass and Chuck Douglas.
But the polls have had Mansharamani and Williams in a very competitive race in advance of Tuesday’s primary.
The trio all supported keeping in place Social Security and Medicare for older workers. Mansharamani said it should be changed for younger workers to make the program sustainable. “Any 18-year-old, they should not expect Social Security,” he said.
They also supported congressional term limits.
WFEA, the Granite News Collaborative and the New Hampshire Union Leader were media partners for the Live Free or Die series at New England College. The state chapter of AARP was a sponsor and Josh McElveen served as the moderator.
