NASHUA, N.H. – With Republican Vice Presidential Candidate J.D. Vance scheduled to hold a rally in the Granite State on Sunday night, Democrats gathered at Jajabelle’s in Nashua to denounce the agenda of Vance and his running mate, Donald Trump.
U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), State Senator Cindy Rosenwald (D-Nashua) and former Department of Veterans Affairs Assistant Secretary Maura Sullivan provided comments largely focused on Trump’s attacks on veterans and U.S. constitutional norms, such as recent remarks that he would use the National Guard to attack “enemies from within” if elected.
Sullivan, who also served as a U.S. Marine during the Iraq War, stated that Democratic Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris is the only defense against the return of Trump, also sharing statements from several of Trump’s former cabinet members that he is a danger to the country.
“Too many service members, my fellow service members, have sacrificed too much for Donald Trump to throw it all away for his own gain,” said Sullivan. “Thankfully, Granite Staters have another choice in Kamala Harris. We have someone who has stood up for the rule of law her entire career. She believes in the promise ad opportunity of America, she’s fighting to defend our constitution and our fundamental freedoms.”
Sullivan also said she respected the military service as Vance, but did not respect his support for Trump.
“(Vance) went from calling Trump ‘America’s Hitler,’ to agreeing to be his running mate all within a short number of years,” said Sullivan. “Donald Trump is unhinged, unstable and unfit to serve as our next commander-in-chief.”
Hassan and Rosenwald also noted the opposition to Trump from his former allies.
“For eight years, Trump has consumed our politics, exhausted Americans, and divided families, friends and communities. At today’s rally, we will hear more anger and more outrageous ways to divide our country and demean our fellow Americans but not real solutions on how to solve the country’s most pressing problems,” said Hassan. “Nor will we hear any explanation of why Trump’s own former vice president, and (numerous) members of his own cabinet that included decorated generals refused to support him this time. They refused to support him because they know what we know in the Live Free or Die State know well: that the world’s greatest democracy has no use for a would-be autocrat who divides our country, praises dictators, and tried to overturn our election.”
The three speakers also used the forum to attack Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Kelly Ayotte and paint her as a standard bearer for Trump in New Hampshire.
“Kelly Ayotte has been standing with Donald Trump, supporting Donald Trump, and whether she tries to have it both ways again by not attending the rally tonight, people should really understand that,” said Hassan.
In a poll released by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center earlier in the day, Harris has seen her lead in New Hampshire shrink since September, now holding just a five-point lead in the Granite State. Still, the trio referred to Vance’s trip as a “hail mary” toward swinging New Hampshire’s four electoral votes, stating that they’ve seen very little in terms of organization from the Trump campaign in New Hampshire compared to the 17 offices Democrats have opened statewide.
“I’ve been knocking doors around Nashua and I’ve seen no sign of a Trump field effort at all, no ground game, just some lawn signs,” said Rosenwald. “That doesn’t really indicate anything because signs don’t vote.”