tags: Targeted Races

Shea-Porter (D-NH-1)

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RESULT: Carol Shea-Porter (D) 53% – Jeb Bradley (R) 45% 

The Race:

The race for New Hampshire’s 1st District Congressional seat will be a rematch of 2006, when Democrat Carol Shea-Porter defeated Republican incumbent Jeb Bradley. [AP, 9/9/08] The outcome surprised Congressional Quarterly, which said, “Shea-Porter won perhaps the biggest House upset of 2006, denying centrist Bradley’s bid for a third term by almost 3 points.” [Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 4/27/08] This year, Bradley is running to regain his seat, and Shea-Porter has been prominently featured on the national Republican hit list. [The Cook Report, accessed 8/20/08] Roll Call expects the race to be close, saying, “Bradley, a former two-term congressman, narrowly defeated former state Health Commissioner John Stephen (R) [in the primary] and is headed to what is expected to be a very close rematch with Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D).” [Roll Call, 9/11/08] According to the Cook Report, John McCain leads in presidential polls, but former Democratic Gov. Jeanne Shaheen is expected to become the state’s next Democratic senator. [The Cook Report, accessed 8/20/08]

Immigration has not been a major issue in the race, but the Hotline said Bradley has attacked Shea-Porter on her immigration voting record, and “said he would have opposed the comprehensive immigration reform bill.” [National Journal’s House Race Hotline, 12/14/07]

The Shea-Porter Position:

UNKNOWN. Shea-Porter does not feature her immigration position on her website, and she has a low profile on the issue during her tenure in Congress. At a 2006 debate, “Shea-Porter dismissed Bradley’s proposal to build a wall along the Mexican border to prevent illegal immigration. ‘Five million dollars a mile,’ she said. ‘How are we going to pay for this?’” [Concord Monitor, 11/1/06] According to The Union Leader, she has also said that “America ought to work to integrate illegal migrants into society.” [The Union Leader, 11/1/06]

The Bradley Position:

ENFORCEMENT ONLY. Although his web site does not list an immigration position, Bradley announced that he was opposed to a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. [Concord Monitor, 9/4/08] At a March 2008 event, Bradley responded to concerns over illegal immigration by saying, “I support decreasing taxes, strong borders and making sure our troops and veterans are taken care of.” [Fosters Daily Democrat, 3/8/08]

During a 2006 debate, Bradley stated, “I don’t believe there should be amnesty for those who have broken our laws and come here illegally.” Bradley went on to argue that Shea-Porter’s comment that a fence on the U.S. border with Mexico was merely a “feel good” solution was wrong. He said, “That sounds like amnesty to me, and that’s the wrong answer for our country.” [The Union Leader, 11/1/06]

New Hampshire 1st