GOOD MORNING, I’M ADAM SEXTON. WE HAVE A REAL RACE FOR CONGRESS IN THE FIRST DISTRICT. AND AT LEAST FOR NOW, ALL OF THE ACTION IS ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE. ONE OF THE TOP CONTENDERS TO FILL THE SEAT BEING VACATED BY CONGRESSMAN CHRIS PAPPAS IS STEFANY SHAHEEN. AND SHE JOINS US THIS MORNING ON CLOSE UP. STEPHANIE, THANKS FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, ADAM. GOOD MORNING. SO MOST OF THE CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES WHO COME IN HERE AND SIT IN THAT SEAT, PEOPLE HAVE NO IDEA WHO THEY ARE. YOU, OF COURSE, HAVE A VERY FAMOUS LAST NAME HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND POLITICS AND WHATNOT, LIKELY GOING TO BE A HUGE ADVANTAGE IN A DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY TO BE A SHAHEEN. BUT WHAT SETS YOU APART? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FROM SENATOR SHAHEEN IN WASHINGTON? WELL, OF COURSE, I’M VERY PROUD OF MY MOM AND ALL THAT SHE HAS DONE IN HER CAREER TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. BUT I’M THE CANDIDATE IN THIS RACE, AND I STAND ON MY CREDENTIALS. NO ONE KNOWS THIS DISTRICT BETTER THAN I DO. I’VE LIVED AND WORKED HERE, WORKED HERE MY WHOLE LIFE. WE’VE RAISED FOUR CHILDREN IN PORTSMOUTH, AND WE’VE DONE A LOT OF WORK IN MANCHESTER. I BUILT A SMALL BUSINESS HERE. I’VE SERVED ON MY CITY COUNCIL. I SERVED AS CHAIR OF OUR POLICE COMMISSION IN PORTSMOUTH, AND I THINK THAT EXPERIENCE AND MY BACKGROUND AND MY KNOWLEDGE OF THE DISTRICT WILL SET ME APART. YOUR FAMILY ENDED UP IN THE NEWS THIS LAST WEEK. YOUR DAD, BILLY SHAHEEN, WAS REPORTED THAT HE ENDED UP ON A TSA WATCH LIST ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO BECAUSE HE WAS TRAVELING WITH AN ATTORNEY WHO WAS IDENTIFIED BY DHS AS A, QUOTE, KNOWN SUSPECTED TERRORIST. YOUR DAD HAS COME OUT AND SAID, THIS IS RIDICULOUS. THAT ATTORNEY HAS ALSO COME OUT AND SAID SHE’S AN UPSTANDING CITIZEN, NEVER CHARGED WITH ANYTHING, NEVER COMMITTED ANY WRONGDOING. THE ADMINISTRATION HAS SUGGESTED THAT SENATOR SHAHEEN CONTACTED DHS AND THAT THAT RESULTED IN HIS REMOVAL FROM THIS QUIET SKIES PROGRAM. YOU KNOW, YOU’RE CLOSE TO YOUR PARENTS. WHEN THIS WAS HAPPENING TO HIM, WHAT WAS THE CONVERSATION? WELL, FIRST, I CAN TELL YOU THAT I KNOW FOR CERTAIN THAT THERE WERE VERY INVASIVE AND AGGRESSIVE SEARCHES BEING DONE BY HIM AT THE AIRPORT. I KNOW THAT THE SENATE OFFICE HAS ANSWERED A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, AND CERTAINLY THERE WAS AN INQUIRY AS TO WHY THIS WAS HAPPENING. IT HAD TO BE A MISUNDERSTANDING. FRANKLY. MY FATHER IS A VETERAN. HE SERVED AS A CAPTAIN IN THE ARMY. HE SERVED AS A US ATTORNEY. HE SERVED AS A LONGSTANDING LAWYER. HE WAS A JUDGE FOR 17 YEARS. SO THERE WAS CLEARLY A MISUNDERSTANDING. AND THEY WERE TRYING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT. THE CONTACT THAT SENATOR SHAHEEN HAD WITH DHS, IN YOUR OPINION, WAS THAT AN APPROPRIATE USE OF HER POWER? I KNOW THAT THOSE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ASKED OF THE SENATE OFFICE. I KNOW SHE WAS INQUIRING AS TO WHAT WAS GOING ON AND TRYING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THE MISUNDERSTANDING. YOU KNOW, FAIR OR NOT, THIS IS SOME OF THE BAGGAGE THAT COMES WITH DYNASTIC POLITICS. YOU KNOW, YOU END UP WITH THE SAME LAST NAME. IT’S YOUR FAMILY. WE’RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS KIND OF STUFF. WHAT DO YOU TELL VOTERS, THOUGH, WHO WANT TO TURN THE PAGE AND THINK THAT IT’S TIME FOR ANOTHER FAMILY TO LEAD IN NEW HAMPSHIRE? WELL, I THINK WE HAVE LOTS OF LEADERS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND I THINK THAT THE GOAL IS REALLY FOR ME TO REACH AS MANY VOTERS AS I CAN. THE VOTERS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE ARE GOING TO MAKE THIS DECISION, AND I HOPE THEY’RE GOING TO DECIDE BASED ON WHO THEY BELIEVE IS MOST QUALIFIED. I’M GOING TO KEEP REINFORCING THAT I’M THE CANDIDATE IN THIS RACE AND THAT I HAVE QUALIFICATIONS ON MY OWN. I’VE LIVED AND WORKED IN THIS STATE MY WHOLE LIFE. I’VE BUILT A SMALL BUSINESS. I’VE RAISED MY FAMILY. I’VE COACHED VOLLEYBALL AT PORTSMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL. I THINK THOSE EXPERIENCES, THOSE QUALIFICATIONS ARE GOING TO SET ME APART A LOT OF DIFFERENT ANGLES HERE. GOVERNMENT SURVEILLANCE IS ONE FOR SURE. AND TALKING ABOUT HOW THE GOVERNMENT DEALS WITH U.S. CITIZENS. IN MARCH, PRESIDENT TRUMP ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT SAID TO ESSENTIALLY GET RID OF THESE BARRIERS BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AGENCIES WHEN IT COMES TO SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT PEOPLE, AMERICAN CITIZENS INCLUDED. THERE HAVE BEEN CONCERNS THAT AN OUTSIDE CONTRACTOR DOING THIS WORK COULD EFFECTIVELY DEVELOP THEIR OWN DATABASE THAT WOULD BE LIKE A DIGITAL ID OR FINGERPRINT OF ALL AMERICANS. IS THIS SOMETHING YOU WOULD BE TRYING TO STOP IN CONGRESS? WELL, I THINK WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT PRIVATIZING THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN ANY DOMAIN, FRANKLY. BUT CERTAINLY AS IT RELATES TO THE SHARING OF PERSONAL, CONFIDENTIAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF AMERICAN CITIZENS, LET’S TAKE SOME INTERNATIONAL ISSUES HERE RIGHT NOW. DO YOU CONSIDER WHAT ISRAEL IS DOING IN GAZA TO BE A FORM OF GENOCIDE? LET’S BE VERY CLEAR. THE REALITY OF WHAT’S HAPPENING IN ISRAEL AND IN GAZA IS UNPRECEDENTED. THE LEVEL OF CRUELTY, THE LEVEL OF DESTRUCTION, HAS TO STOP. THE WAR HAS TO STOP. WE NEED A TWO STATE SOLUTION. WE NEED ACTION. YOU KNOW, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SAID THAT ON DAY ONE, THEY WOULD SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THEY’VE DONE NOTHING BUT MAKE IT WORSE. THEY HAVEN’T PROVIDED THE LEVEL OF LEADERSHIP AND ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE TO ADDRESS IT DIRECTLY. AND AS A RESULT, WE STILL HAVE HOSTAGES WHO ARE BEING HELD, AND WE HAVE INNOCENT CIVILIANS IN GAZA BEING KILLED. AND IT NEEDS TO STOP ISRAEL COMMITTING A GENOCIDE. I THINK ISRAEL NEEDS THEY ARE OUR DEMOCRATIC LEADER IN THAT REGION OF THE WORLD. WE NEED VERY MUCH TO BE WORKING TOGETHER TO ADDRESS A TWO STATE SOLUTION, AND WE NEED TO END THIS CRUELTY AND END THIS WAR. WE SEE ANTI-SEMITISM IS A GROWING PROBLEM, NOT JUST GLOBALLY. IT’S DOMESTIC. AND IT’S CERTAINLY KIND OF INTERTWINING IN POLITICS AND THE ONLINE WORLD IN DANGEROUS WAYS. YOU KNOW, AS A LEADER, IF YOU HAVE A STAFFER WHO BEGINS ESPOUSING CERTAIN ANTI-ISRAEL VIEWPOINTS, MAYBE THEY’RE PROTESTING, THEY’RE WEARING THE KEFFIYEH, THEY’RE SAYING THINGS ABOUT THAT ISRAEL DOESN’T HAVE A RIGHT TO EXIST, THAT IT’S AN OCCUPYING POWER. IS THAT SOMEONE WHO CAN WORK FOR YOU? LOOK, THE FACT IS, WE’VE SEEN A RISE IN HATE SPEECH AND A RISE IN HATE CRIMES ACROSS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND WE’VE CERTAINLY SEEN THEM IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. YOU KNOW, PORTSMOUTH IS NO EXCEPTION. WE’VE SEEN HATE CRIMES IN PORTSMOUTH VERY RECENTLY. THERE’S NO ROLE FOR THAT IN THIS COUNTRY. AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT’S BEEN UNLEASHED IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. AND IT HAS TO STOP. I THINK THE REALITY IS WHEN WE GET ELECTED TO SERVE, IT’S TO SERVE ALL PEOPLE AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO LISTEN TO ALL PEOPLE. AND THAT’S WHAT I’M COMMITTED TO DOING. BUT IF SOMEONE IS VERY SYMPATHETIC TO, SAY, HAMAS, IF THEY’RE NOT GOING TO SAY LIKE, THESE ARE THE BAD GUYS, CAN THEY WORK FOR YOU? NO, I MEAN, WE CAN’T HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE SYMPATHIZERS OF TERRORISTS. OF COURSE NOT. YOU KNOW, WHEN DEMOCRATS HELD POWER UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP THE LAST TIME, 2019 TO 2021, THEY IMPEACHED HIM TWICE. AND THERE ARE CASES WERE MADE. IT ALL WENT TO THE SENATE. IT DIDN’T WORK IN THE END. POLITICALLY, IT ENDED UP MAKING PRESIDENT TRUMP MUCH MORE POWERFUL. IF YOU’RE IN CONGRESS. AND OF COURSE, THIS IS A BIG HYPOTHETICAL, BUT IT’S HAPPENED TWICE ALREADY. DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE TO GO DOWN THAT ROAD AGAIN OF TRYING TO IMPEACH THE PRESIDENT? I THINK WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THE ISSUES THAT MATTER TO WORKING FAMILIES, AND I THINK WE’VE GOTTEN AWAY FROM THAT. WE GET CAUGHT UP IN THE RHETORIC AND THE DISTRACTION, AND WE’RE NOT FOCUSED ON THE ISSUES THAT REALLY MATTER. THINGS LIKE HOW DO WE MAKE HOUSING MORE AFFORDABLE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE? HOW DO WE MAKE CHILDCARE MORE ACCESSIBLE? HOW DO WE ADDRESS THE HEALTH CARE CHALLENGES THAT EVERY SINGLE FAMILY IN THE STATE HAS HAD TO DEAL WITH IN ONE SHAPE OR ANOTHER, EITHER BECAUSE IT’S TOO EXPENSIVE OR BECAUSE THEY CAN’T ACCESS IT WHEN THEY NEED IT, OR BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR PROVIDERS. SO I THINK WE NEED TO STAY FOCUSED ON THAT. AND THAT’S WHAT I’M COMMITTED TO DOING. WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU’RE GOING TO DO TO LOWER THE COST OF HOUSING? THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE FOR VOTERS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. YES. WELL, AS YOU KNOW, ADAM, MY HUSBAND IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY IN PORTSMOUTH. HE’S BEEN ABLE TO ACTUALLY ADD NEW, PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE WORKFORCE HOUSING IN PORTSMOUTH. AND I’VE SEEN HOW HE’S DONE THAT FIRSTHAND. THE THE REALITY IS WE NEED TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CHALLENGING ZONING ISSUES THAT MAKE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO GET THESE PROJECTS APPROVED. AND WE NEED FINANCING INSTRUMENTS THAT MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO TO IN A MARKET LIKE PORTSMOUTH OR ANYWHERE IN THE STATE. NOW, GIVEN THE PRICE OF LAND AND HOUSING, MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY DEVELOP THESE PROJECTS. THERE’S ANOTHER ISSUE THAT MAY NOT BE UP THERE WITH HOUSING. IT GENERATES A LOT OF DISCUSSION, THOUGH. TRANS ATHLETES IN SPORTS, YOU’VE BEEN TRYING TO TAKE A NUANCED POSITION ON THIS. YOU’RE A FORMER VOLLEYBALL COACH, AS YOU NOTED. SO YOU’VE BEEN A LOT CLOSER TO THE IDEA OF COMPETITION AND FAIRNESS THAN I THINK A LOT OF ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO ARE MAKING THESE DECISIONS ARE. YOU’RE SAYING, THOUGH, THAT THESE PLAYERS SHOULD BE ALLOWED IN ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS? EXPLAIN WHAT YOU MEAN THERE. WHAT IS A CASE IN WHICH A TRANS ATHLETE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO PLAY WITH GIRLS? SO LOOK, SPORTS HAVE BEEN A HUGE PART OF MY LIFE. MY WHOLE LIFE I WAS, YOU KNOW, I FIRST PLAYED LITTLE LEAGUE IN MADBURY, I PLAYED OYSTER RIVER YOUTH ASSOCIATION BASKETBALL WHEN I WAS IN, IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, I WAS THE CAPTAIN OF MY HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAM AND MY VOLLEYBALL TEAM. I PLAYED VOLLEYBALL IN COLLEGE, AND I COACHED VOLLEYBALL BOTH AT OYSTER RIVER AND AT PORTSMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL. I BELIEVE FUNDAMENTALLY, SPORTS NEED TO BE SAFE AND THEY NEED TO BE FAIR. THEY ARE A HUGE PART OF SO MANY PEOPLE’S LIVES AND WE NEED TO ENSURE SAFETY AND FAIRNESS IN SPORT. ABSOLUTELY. THE FACT IS, FOR THE HANDFUL OF CASES WHERE TRANS ATHLETES ARE SEEKING TO COMPETE, I DON’T THINK IT’S NECESSARY TO HAVE A ONE SIZE FITS ALL FEDERAL LAW. I THINK WE CAN TRUST COACHES AND TEACHERS AND FAMILIES AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS. BUT WHAT KIND OF SITUATION WOULD A CASE BY CASE BASIS? WHAT WOULD BE THE SITUATION IN WHICH SOMEONE IS NOT ALLOWED TO PLAY? I MEAN, AGAIN, I THINK THAT DEPENDS IF AS WE LOOK AT THE NCAA, WE SEE THAT THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS IN ORDER FOR THEM TO APPROVE WHETHER ATHLETES CAN COMPETE. WE CAN LOOK AT THESE SITUATIONS AGAIN ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS AND SEE, IS THIS APPROPRIATE, IS IT ACCEPTABLE? IT WOULD DEPEND ON THE SPORT. IT WOULD DEPEND ON THE ATHLETE. AND I THINK WE CAN TRUST COACHES IN SCHOOLS TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. HAVING BEEN A COACH, YOU KNOW, THE AGONY THERE OF HAVING TOO MANY PLAYERS AND MAYBE HAVING TO CUT SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW, SO MUCH ATTENTION IS FOCUSED ON THIS ISSUE ON SAY, THAT DOMINANT ATHLETE WHO’S WINNING THE MEDAL TAKING FIRST PLACE SOMEHOW ALLEGEDLY SUPPLANTING A GIRL. BUT WHAT ABOUT THAT CASE IN WHICH MAYBE THE ATHLETE IS MARGINAL, BUT THEY’RE STILL SUPERIOR TO SOME OF THE GIRLS ON THE TEAM, AND THAT 12TH OR 13TH GIRL LOSES A SPOT ON THE TEAM BECAUSE THE TRANS ATHLETE WANTS TO PLAY. IS THAT FAIR? I THINK ULTIMATELY WE NEED TO ENSURE FAIRNESS AND SAFETY IN SPORT. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I HAD TO MAKE VERY DIFFICULT DECISIONS AS A COACH. WE HAD TO MAKE CUTS. IT WAS IT’S HARD. AND ONE OF THE THINGS I’VE ALWAYS BEEN A PROPONENT OF IS THERE SHOULD BE MORE TEAMS, THERE SHOULD BE CLUB TEAMS, THERE SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, JV, OTHER JV TEAMS OR FRESHMAN FIRST YEAR TEAMS FOR PLAYERS SO THAT WE PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITY. I THINK ONE OF THE CHALLENGES, HONESTLY, IN YOUTH SPORT IS THE PROFESSIONALIZATION OF YOUTH SPORT. IT MAKES IT INACCESSIBLE, INACCESSIBLE TO SO MANY FAMILIES BECAUSE YOU HAVE KIDS WHO ARE PAYING TO PLAY IN THEIR OFF SEASONS, AND THEY BECOME MORE AND MORE COMPETITIVE, AND THEN IT BLOCKS OUT A LOT OF KIDS. SO MY MY VIEW IS THE MORE OPPORTUNITY AND MORE ACCESSIBLE, MORE TEAMS, BETTER FOR ALL KIDS. LET’S TALK ABOUT ENERGY POLICY BRIEFLY HERE. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF CONSTITUENTS IN THE FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT HEAT THEIR HOMES WITH NATURAL GAS, FOSSIL FUELS OBVIOUSLY HAVE BECOME A LITTLE BIT ANATHEMA TO DEMOCRATS. WOULD YOU BE WILLING, THOUGH, TO HAVE A NEW PIPELINE COMING TO NEW HAMPSHIRE TO DELIVER MORE SUPPLY AND BRING COSTS DOWN? ULTIMATELY, I THINK ELECTRICITY AND ENERGY COSTS ARE WAY TOO HIGH IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND WE HAVE TO KEEP ALL OPTIONS ON THE TABLE. I’D NEED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHERE THE PIPELINE WOULD BE COMING FROM, WHAT KIND OF DISRUPTION IT WOULD CAUSE. BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE OPEN TO OPTIONS THAT ARE GOING TO HELP BOTH ADDRESS CLIMATE CHALLENGES AND ENERGY COSTS. WOULD YOU BE TRYING TO BRING BACK OFFSHORE WIND? OBVIOUSLY, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS HIT THE PAUSE BUTTON ON THAT IN A HUGE WAY. ARE THOSE COSTS WORTH THE ENERGY THAT WOULD BE EVENTUALLY COMING BACK? SO WOULD YOU WANT TO REVIVE THOSE PROJECTS IN CONGRESS? GOOD QUESTION. I NEED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IT. TO BE HONEST, THOSE PARTICULAR PROJECTS, I THINK RIGHT NOW TRYING TO DO THAT AS OPPOSED TO SAVING THINGS LIKE SOLAR PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING ATTACKED AND AND CUT, IT’S PROBABLY NOT THE BEST PLACE TO BE FOCUSED. I WOULD PREFER TO FOCUS RIGHT NOW ON THE SOLAR COST, SOLAR PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE UNDERWAY THAT ARE BEING THREATENED, BUT AGAIN, I THINK WE CAN’T TAKE ANYTHING OFF THE TABLE AS IT RELATES TO TO BRINGING MORE GREEN, EFFECTIVE AND COST EFFICIENT ENERGY PROJECTS. ALL RIGHT, STEPHANIE SHAHEEN, THANKS FOR JOINING US ON CLOSE UP. WE’LL SEE YOU OUT THERE ON THE TRAIL. THANK YOU SO MUCH, ADAM. ALL RIGHT. AND WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH THE SENATE MAJORITY AND MINORITY