MESSY: Top Chuck Morse Ally Corky Messner Calls on Bolduc to "Withdraw From the Race"

2020 Republican Senate Nominee Says Bolduc "Not Qualified to be a U.S. Senator"

This morning on NH Today with Chris Ryan, Corky Messner – a close ally of Don Bolduc’s Senate primary opponent Chuck Morse – said Bolduc "should withdraw" from the NH GOP Senate primary and is "not qualified to be a U.S. Senator" after Bolduc made "dangerous" comments about the war in Ukraine. It’s the latest sign that with no clear frontrunner, New Hampshire’s Republican Senate primary is set to be a chaotic mess. Messner’s attacks on Bolduc are in response to Bolduc’s appearance on Fox News where he made "off the mark" and "extremely dangerous" comments about Ukraine. Bolduc was later blasted by Fox News’ longtime national security correspondent Jen Griffin. This isn’t the first time that Corky Messner has stoked the flames of the NH GOP Senate primary. Last December, Messner attempted to corral the then-potential GOP field to coalesce around one candidate, but his attempts failed miserably. Two Republicans (including Kevin Smith) didn’t go and Don Bolduc wasn’t even invited. After being brutally criticized for the meeting, Messner slammed his conservative critics as "useful idiots." The NH GOP Senate primary has already been called "crazy," "complicated," and "a hot mess," and Messner’s comments are just another indication that this will be a messy GOP primary that will leave the Republican Party scrambling and in shambles by the time the general election starts. Chris Ryan: Let's talk a little about what's going on over in Ukraine usually we do our true crime segment here on Tuesdays at 7:35. But I think, you know, in light of what's going on over there, I want to talk a little more about that. And you know, The Washington Post did a story yesterday about, that included some of the comments that General Bolduc made on Fox. And you have responded to what Bolduc had to say as well. And I'm interested in your feelings on why, what Bolduc said, was, you know, kind of over the line as Jen Griffin went after Bolduc and said that he was not a military strategist in that Washington Post article.

Corky Messner: Yeah, and I was actually watching that show that happened and you know, the, you know, Don Bolduc was essentially advocating in that show that that the United States and NATO get involved in Ukraine kinetically with interdiction fires and direct fires on the Russian columns, as well as special operations on the ground. And you know, and that would be an awful escalation of this conflict. It was really... one, it was shocking that he said that, and Jennifer Griffin came on two segments later and cut off Steve Hilton and said, I need to address what Bolduc said. And really, you know, made it clear that Don Bolduc is not a historian. He's not a strategist. And that that kind of talk is, you know, from a retired brigadier general and a U.S. Senate candidate is extremely dangerous, extremely dangerous. You know, it's in the news now and you know, that's the kind of stuff that in fact, it's possible that Vladimir Putin can get briefed on. And, you know, given the situation, the last thing we need to do is give Putin reason to escalate what's going on in Ukraine and listen, we want to support the Ukrainian people. But the number one priority in this situation is to avoid an escalation into World War Three and those kinds of dangerous, irresponsible comments just cannot be tolerated. And he's not qualified to be a U.S. Senator. He should withdraw from the race. He's got a history of making these kinds of gaffes in this situation. You know, you can't walk it back. You can't laugh it off. It is very, very dangerous. And we need someone in the U.S. Senate who has good judgment, who keeps a level head and who doesn't say irresponsible, dangerous things.