This article presents an unbiased comparison of the political positions and policies of Maggie Hassan and Ovide Lamontagne, the Democratic and Republican party candidates respectively for the 2012 gubernatorial elections in New Hampshire.
RESULT: Hassan defeated Lamontagne to win the election
Hassan represented the 23rd District from 2004 to 2010 and Lamontagne, a lawyer by profession, ran for 1996 gubernatorial elections and was nominated for the 2010 Senate elections before declaring his candidacy for governor in 2012.
Comparison chart
 | Maggie Hassan | Ovide Lamontagne |
|---|---|---|
 |  | |
| Political Party | Democrat | Republican |
| Hometown | Boston, MA | Manchester, NH |
| Date of birth | February 27th 1958 | September 22 1957 |
| Tax Policy | Opposed a broad-based sales or income tax | Opposes any broad-based sales or income tax |
| Healthcare | Supports making healthcare more accessible and new laws to protect insurance users | Supports free market reforms |
| Abortion | Supports legal abortion | Opposes legal abortion |
| Gay Rights | Supports gay marriage | Opposes gay marriage |
| Women’s Rights | Supports coverage of contraception by insurance | No clear stance |
| Gun Control | supports gun control | Opposes increased gun control |
| Education | Supports increased funding | Supports local control over education and increased school choice |
| Energy Policy | Supports clean energy research | Aims to deregulate energy industry to lower costs |
| Environmental Policy | No clear stance | Protect the state’s natural resources |
Early Life and Career
Maggie Hassan earned her BA from Brown University and her JD from Northeastern School of Law. She has worked as an attorney and as Associate General Counsel for Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and was a State Senator from 2005-2010. She also served as Senate Majority Leader from 2008-2010.
Ovide Lamontagne was born in Manchester, NH, and earned his BA at The Catholic University of America. He taught social studies in high school before earning his JD from Wyoming College of Law. He worked for law firm Devine Millimet and served as counsel for the State Senate in 1991. He was the chair of the New Hampshire State Board of Education from 1993 to 1996, and ran for governor in 1996 and senator in 2010, although both attempts were unsuccessful. His involvement in government has only been bureaucratic; he has never held public office.
Differences in Economic Policy
Tax Policy
Maggie Hassan opposes a broad based sales or income tax. [1] She wants to create a tax credit for research-and-development programs.
Ovide Lamontagne opposes any broad based sales or income tax. He wants to reform the business tax code to help businesses. [2]
Healthcare Policy
Maggie Hassan has led efforts to make it easier for small businesses to provide healthcare for employees. She has fought to allow children to remain on their parents’ insurance until age 26. [3]
Ovide Lamontagne aims to create free market reforms in the health care system to ensure lower cost care and coverage for all. [4]
Social Issues
Abortion
Maggie Hassan supports legal abortion. [5]
Ovide Lamontagne opposes legal abortion. [6]
Gay rights
Maggie Hassan supports gay marriage. [7]
Ovide Lamontagne opposes gay marriage. [8]
Women's Rights
Maggie Hassan aims to protect women’s access to birth control, including ensuring that it is covered by insurance. [9]
Ovide Lamontage has not commented on this issue.
Gun Control
Maggie Hassan has not commented on this issue.
Ovide Lamontagne believes that the right to bear arms is a fundamental human right. [10]
Education Policy
Maggie Hassan has previously raised the dropout age, increased educational funding and invested in community colleges and universities. [11]
Ovide Lamontage aims to restore local control over education policy and funding. He wants to increase school choice and create partnerships between schools and businesses to ensure that students have the necessary skills for the workforce. [12]
Energy Policy
Maggie Hassan supports clean energy investments such as mercury reductions and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. [13]
Ovide Lamontagne wants to deregulate the energy industry and introduce free market reforms to lower energy costs. [14]
Environmental Policy
Maggie Hassan has not spoken on this issue.
Ovide Lamontagne aims to protect and promote New Hampshire’s natural resources while encouraging tourism. [15]
Debates
The first debate between Ovide Lamontagne and Maggie Hassan was held on September 27, 2012. The full video is presented below.
Opinion Poll Ratings
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Maggie Hassan (D) | Ovide Lamontagne (R) |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Research Group | October 9-11, 2012 | 40% | 46% |
| WMUR/University of New Hampshire | October 1-6, 2012 | 30% | 34% |
| WMUR/University of New Hampshire | September 27-30, 2012 | 38% | 36% |
| Public Policy Polling | September 24-25, 2012 | 51% | 44% |
| NBC/Wall Street Journal/Marist College | September 23-25, 2012 | 47% | 45% |
| Greenberg Quinlan Rosner | September 15-19, 2012 | 48% | 46% |
| Rasmussen Reports | September 18, 2012 | 44% | 48% |
| Public Policy Polling | August 9-12, 2012 | 45% | 43% |
| WMUR/University of New Hampshire | August 1-12, 2012 | 31% | 33% |
| Rasmussen Reports | June 20, 2012 | 36% | 42% |
| Public Policy Polling | May 10-13, 2012 | 39% | 40% |
| WMUR/University of New Hampshire | April 9-20, 2012 | 34% | 29% |
| WMUR/University of New Hampshire | January 25-February 2, 2012 | 26% | 32% |
| Public Policy Polling | June 30-July 5, 2011 | 35% | 41% |
Democrat 
Liberal 
Romney 
Obamacare 
Bill Maloney 
Pat McCrory
Comments: Maggie Hassan vs Ovide Lamontagne
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