Burns, Kuster spar over inflation, abortion, energy in 2nd District debate
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Nov. 5—MANCHESTER — Rep. Annie Kuster, D-N.H. and Republican nominee Bob Burns of Pembroke sharply disagreed over how to fight inflation, restrict legal abortions and support renewable energy during their only televised debate Friday night.
But they each admitted that addictions to opioids hit their own families hard.
Burns said his brother was murdered in 2005 after he got hooked on opioids and then dependent on Suboxone, a drug widely prescribed to help people get off drugs such as heroin and fentanyl.
"They have given you hundreds of thousands of dollars, including the producers of Oxycodone and Suboxone, which is a $4 billion industry," Burns said to Kuster.
Later Burns added, "The science and the statistics have been there that it isn't working" to eliminate opioid addiction.
In response, Kuster revealed that Suboxone was a lifesaver for her own brother.
"Over COVID, it has been very difficult and I am very grateful he has had access to Suboxone so that he can get the treatment he needs and it is saving his life," Kuster said.
On two occasions during the debate, Kuster declined comment when Burns attacked her over campaign checks she has gotten from the pharmaceutical industry while maintaining she has fought Big Pharma throughout the decade she has been in Congress.
"She is bought out by the medical industry, the pharmaceutical industry. She is spending more tonight on commercials than I have spent in my entire campaign," Burns said.
Kuster said she supports limiting First Amendment rights on social media when companies use the platform to promote violence.
"We need to tone down the rhetoric. We need to hold these companies accountable for the type of violence that is being encouraged," Kuster said.
Burns said she's a hypocrite. "What about the constant fear-mongering from your corporate benefactors that has come in the $10 million that's been spent against me?" Burns asked rhetorically.
Kuster said Burns has spent his career in the pharmaceutical field.
Kuster: Burns is lying about his view on abortion
On abortion, Kuster charged Burns has lied to voters about how far he would go to restrict legal abortions.
In the general election, Burns said he would vote for legislation to outlaw abortions after 12 weeks, but Kuster said he often endorsed banning abortions outright except to save the life of the mother.
"Mr. Burns is attempting to change his position tonight," Kuster said.
Burns answered, "That is absolutely untrue."
Burns said Kuster falsely claimed he had wealthy Super PACS backing him and that President Trump would come and campaign for him. In response Kuster said, "He (Trump) probably will on Monday."
Trump's pre-election schedule as of late Friday night did not include a stop in New Hampshire.
Burns said President Biden and Kuster were slow to respond to soaring inflation in the economy and only made it worse by adding to the federal deficit with reckless spending.
"We saw this coming and there were a lot of things we could have done to prevent it," Burns said.
"The Biden administration was in complete denial about the inflation and the economic disaster we are facing right now."
Kuster said the fault of higher energy prices in New Hampshire lies with Gov. Chris Sununu, who did not support more investments in renewable energy that could make this state less reliant on fossil fuels.
"Consumers are going to pay much less in those neighboring states, $750 less in Rhode Island, $500 less in Vermont. We can't kept chasing oil and gas pipelines forever," Kuster said.
Burns called the renewable energy incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act a "boondoggle."
"Are you running for governor or for Congress?" Burns asked Kuster.
The latest polls have Kuster holding onto a comfortable lead over Burns, who has been outspent in this race by a 10-1 margin.
Some political observers maintain Burns could still pull off what would be a stunning upset if the GOP wave becomes a tsunami on Tuesday.
The two also differed over the Marriage Equality Act to enshrine in federal law legal protections for same-sex marriage.
"I don't believe the government should be involved in marriage," Burns said.
Kuster answered, "I am a strong proponent of marriage equality; people should love the ones they love."
They both came up short of supporting federal legislation to legalize the sale of marijuana for adults.
Kuster said she supports decriminalizing possession of cannabis but legalizing recreational use of pot should remain a matter for the states.
Burns said he would vote to lower marijuana on the federal register from a Schedule 1 drug, calling the classification "absurd" since cocaine is a Schedule 2 substance.
