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CONCORD -- New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley today called on Chris Sununu — as leader of the New Hampshire Republican Party — to immediately condemn General Don Bolduc and his dangerous comments in an interview with The New Yorker.
In The New Yorker article published today, Bolduc alleged that there was widespread voter fraud in New Hampshire in 2020, including in Waterville Valley; said he was open to a military intervention in the next presidential election; and pledged to challenge the certification of the Electoral College vote if a Republican doesn’t win. Bolduc’s comments have drawn national condemnation and come just a day after Donald Trump declared that voter fraud should be Republicans’ major issue in the midterm elections. Bolduc drew Trump’s praise last month and the two had a 15-minute phone call a few weeks ago.
“Chris Sununu needs to immediately condemn Don Bolduc’s dangerous comments and make clear that his lies have no place in our state or in the New Hampshire Republican Party. Bolduc’s comments endorsing overturning free and fair elections and repeating dangerous lies about massive voter fraud represent a clear attack on our democracy and should have no place in our politics. As the leader of the New Hampshire Republican Party, Sununu needs to come forward and make clear that General Don Bolduc’s comments are unacceptable in the New Hampshire Republican Party.”
Read excerpts from Bolduc’s interview below:
The New Yorker: The Republicans Running to Support Donald Trump
Bolduc Repeats False Claims of Massive Voter Fraud in New Hampshire:
Don Bolduc: I signed that letter because I thought there was a tremendous amount of fraud. My initial perspective was from New Hampshire, right? We’ve had a significant amount of fraud here. Our governor is in denial, in large part because he benefits from it, and so do all the federal Democratic incumbents. They all benefited from it. Statistically, they won by margins that were mathematically impossible and defied common sense.
[...]
Don Bolduc: Waterville Valley, in the state of New Hampshire, had a-hundred-and-ninety-four-per-cent voter turnout. How can that be? How can you have over a hundred per cent of people in Waterville Valley voting? [Bolduc told The New Yorker that he was citing preliminary statistics from a Facebook group of amateur canvassers.] You can’t. It’s impossible. That’s just one, and there are a number of places across New Hampshire that have overages in the number of people in their town, the number of people registered, compared to the number of people that voted. That doesn’t make sense.
[...]
New Yorker: Let’s go back to my theory about how you’re one of these people who is very sincere in your beliefs, because we saw with Republican Senators that a lot of them made noises about, Oh, maybe there’s some voter fraud. But almost all of them voted to certify the election. It seems like you’re saying to the people of New Hampshire that if you are elected in 2022, and are serving in 2024, when certification comes before the Senate again, you wouldn’t just talk the talk—you would walk the walk. Is that accurate?
Don Bolduc: Oh, absolutely it’s accurate. Everybody I talk to believes that in me. They tell me. They go, “I believe you’re going to do what you’re doing. I believe that you speak from the heart. I believe that you believe in God, family, community, country, that you believe our institutions have been undermined over the last fifty years, and we fundamentally have to get people back in office that come from the people, that relate to the people, and, oh, by the way, don’t want to be career politicians and will come home after they serve two terms.” They’re absolutely right.
Bolduc Indicates He Would Support a Coup
New Yorker: Do you think there’s any role for the military to play if another election, as you see it, is stolen?
Don Bolduc: Well, I think there’s always a role for the military to play if there is a threat to the existence of our government and our Constitution and the oath that we take. Absolutely. That’s written in, right? Whatever the trigger is that would set off the destruction of our nation, our Constitution, and the oath that we take, we have an obligation to say, “O.K., wait a minute. No way. That’s not going to happen.”
New Yorker: Have you had any contact with the former President? I know he released a statement praising your comments about General Milley. Are you hoping for an endorsement at some point?
Don Bolduc: The President called, what, two weeks ago. We had about a fifteen-minute conversation. It was a great conversation about the economy, the fiscal situation. We covered a lot of different topics. I had never talked to the President before, so I was honored to get his call, and I am doing everything I possibly can to earn his endorsement. I feel optimistic about it.
New Yorker: I have to say, I came into this conversation thinking, He’s a respected former general—he probably doesn’t believe all this stuff about Trump and voter fraud. But your sincerity has really surprised me, and it shows, I think, the types of people that the former President would like to see in Washington going forward, especially if he’s going to run again.
Don Bolduc: Yes, exactly. I mean, whatever President Trump decides to do, he’ll have my full support. Whatever that means. I’m just a little guy, but, based off what we’re talking about, I want you to know that, whatever he decides to do, he’ll have my full support.
New Yorker: Yes, and I think it’s really important for people to think about what types of Republicans are elected, knowing that Trump may run again.
Don Bolduc: I agree with you a hundred per cent.
Read the full article at NewYorker.com
Bolduc’s Comments In The New Yorker Are Already Drawing National Condemnation:
New York Magazine’s Jonathan Chait @jonathanchait: “An @IChotiner with a representative of the new generation of true believing Trumpists taking over the GOP on what they plan to do the next time they don't win an election.” [12:43 PM 10/14/21]
The Appeal’s Daniel Nichanian, @Taniel: “A Republican candidate running for the US Senate in New Hampshire, in a key 2022 race, explicitly tells @IChotiner as a sort of solemn campaign promise that he would vote to not certify the 2024 presidential election (read: if Trump loses and asks him to). https://newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/the-republicans-running-to-support-donald-trump [12:40 PM, 10/14/21]
The National Review’s Fred Bauer, @fredbauerblog: “In addition to pledging to challenge the certification of the Electoral College (at least if a Republican doesn't win), Bolduc blames Pence (along w/congressional leadership) for the storming of the Capitol. He also says the military has a role in resolving a disputed election.” [2:13 PM, 10/14/21]
Southpaw @nycsouthpaw: “Isaac Chotiner interviews a former Army general and special forces commander who is running for the Senate.” https://newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/the-republicans-running-to-support-donald-trump” [1:56 PM, 10/14/21]
The Washington Post’s Glenn Kessler, @GlennKesslerWP: “FWIW, when retired Brig. Gen. Don Bolduc first ran for the Senate, his campaign ran a bio ad that misled about his storied military career. --> https://washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/07/09/campaign-nh-senate-hopeful-uses-photo-trickery-hoodwink-reporters/” [1:59 PM, 10/14/21]