Written by Matt Murray
Originally posted on the NH Labor News
Yesterday, Governor Hassan signed a strengthened New Hampshire People’s Pledge limiting outside spending in the race for NH's US Senate Seat against Kelly Ayotte. Later in the afternoon, Kelly Ayotte refused to sign the New People's Pledge.
New Hampshire has a strong tradition of voluntary campaign spending caps – and accompanying penalties – that is written into state law (see RSA 664:5-a, b and RSA 664:21), and the strengthened New Hampshire People’s Pledge continues this tradition by committing each campaign to a $15 million spending cap. The $15 million cap represents a reduction in campaign spending from the highest spending New Hampshire Senate campaign in 2014.
Despite the fact that $5 million in outside spending has already benefited Senator Ayotte this cycle, Governor Hassan made clear that she wants the campaigns to work together to reach an agreement on a strengthened pledge.
In a letter to Senator Ayotte (full letter available here and full strengthened pledge below), Governor Hassan wrote:
“Granite Staters know that it’s not just the outside spending, but the amount of spending on campaigns that should be reined in. We would be happy to meet with you or your campaign to discuss this proposal further and find a way to move forward on this pledge together.”
“This campaign should be about how we can keep New Hampshire moving in the right direction by bringing people together to help hard-working Granite Staters get ahead and stay ahead. I hope that you will join me and that we can lead the way with this groundbreaking agreement to curb campaign spending.”
In addition to adding a $15 million spending cap for each campaign, the strengthened New Hampshire People’s Pledge also restores the preamble of the 2012 pledge from which the language of Senator Ayotte’s proposal was drawn. The preamble clarifies the purpose of the pledge – including the intent to exclude dark money “issue advertisements” – while adding a new commitment to ensuring that money does not control politics in New Hampshire.
Ayotte Refuses to Sign Strengthened New Hampshire People’s Pledge
Maggie for NH Campaign Manager Marc Goldberg released the following statement after Senator Ayotte made clear that she does not intend to sign the strengthened New Hampshire People’s Pledge:
“It’s extremely disappointing that Senator Ayotte has indicated that she has no intention of signing the strengthened New Hampshire’s People Pledge, though unfortunately it’s hardly surprising given Ayotte’s staunch opposition to meaningful campaign finance reform and overturning the backward Citizens United decision. Not to mention that as Senator Ayotte feigns interest in reining in outside spending, her dark money allies announced tens of thousands of dollars in additional spending on her behalf.”
“Take it or leave it offers and an unwillingness to even have discussions may be how they do things in Washington – which is why Washington is so badly broken – but it’s not how we do things in New Hampshire. Here in New Hampshire, Governor Hassan has consistently shown that we know how to work together to find common ground to make progress for our families and small businesses."
“Governor Hassan has fought for years to take real action to overturn Citizens United and rein in money in politics. The strengthened New Hampshire People’s Pledge that Governor Hassan signed includes a common-sense cap on spending that recognizes what all Granite Staters know to be true: that it’s not just outside spending, but the total amount of spending on campaigns that needs to be reined in.”