Senate hopeful brings tour to KSC

Republican Senate candidate Jim Bender brought his campaign to Keene State College on the evening of Wednesday, April 14 after speaking at Central Square and the Keene Public Library as part of a statewide political tour.

Speaking in the Lantern Room of the L.P. Young Student Center to an intimate audience of students and community members, the 57-year-old Hollis, N.H. native detailed the three cornerstones of his effort to get to Washington. Bender discussed breaking down government control, job creation and eliminating corruption of government officials. He said current problems in the government stirred him to action.

“I’m not a politician,” Bender began, “I never thought I’d be here.”

Bender said the current government spends, taxes, regulates and wastes too much, causing economic burdens like the now over $12 trillion national debt.

“It’s like an 800lb jockey on a racehorse and expecting to win,” Bender said.

Bender said he expects the federal government to tack on an additional $3.8 billion of debt by the end of the year.

Going back to yesteryear, Bender discussed the prosperity of 1950s and 1960s America, calling it a time of dominance in the United States’ place in the world. He said the nation led the way in the automotive industry, technological field and corporate market. He made reference to the Reagan administration and economic surplus in the 1980s.

“All of that has been destroyed,” Bender said.

The decline of the American dollar and amount of personal debt accrued through federal spending makes for a grim situation for the typical family, Bender said, noting that in the bigger picture, saving money is becoming nearly impossible.

“Of the great democracies of the world, what brought them down is loose fiscal policies,” Bender said.

Although Bender said the economic turmoil transcends many presidencies, he mentioned the Obama administration was particularly at a disadvantage because of its lack of officials with business experience, an area of expertise for him. Bender works in the business and technology fields and headed multi-million-dollar companies like IDEA, Logicraft and Aware that produce computer, airline and biometric products.

Current members of Congress weren’t spared from Bender’s speech either. A proponent of capping the terms of congressional members, Bender said many representatives and senators spend long careers in Washington and lose sight of their constituents.

“Our leaders shape all their actions on the next November,” Bender said. 

However, Bender discounted himself, saying he would stay in Washington for only enough time to influence change and then leave.

According to his campaign site, BenderForSenate, he is in favor of the right to bear arms, the death penalty, sanctioning Iran and alternative energy. He is opposed to same-sex marriage, illegal immigration, the new healthcare policy and tax increases.

KSC junior Noah Houck said he saw Bender because he wanted to listen to him and other candidates before voting in November. Houck said he agreed with Bender’s positions on decreasing the size of the government.

“I think he has good character and morals,” Houck said. “Those sounded like good solutions for our country, better than we have now.”

Houck said he wants a more diverse pool of politicians to come to the city of Keene, which tends to attract more Democrats and third-party politicians.

“I encourage both sides to come out and let people decide what they want,” Houck said.

KSC sophomore Megan Stone, an intern for the Bender campaign, organized the event, which was one of the first stops of the “Get to Know Jim Bender Tour” that intends to travel around the state hitting towns like Nashua and Berlin.

“I love working for Mr. Bender. It’s such a good experience for me,” Stone said. “We’re just starting up right now so it is a bit relaxed, but as we pick up it’ll get more hectic.”

Bender’s most recent addition intends to give the campaign some steam. Bender chose Beth Lindstrom as his Campaign Manager on March 30. Lindstrom is now well known for her last client, senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts, who became the first Republican senator from the Bay state in 38 years in January after a heated election.

“She’s starting to cherrypick the other stars,” Bender said.

He said with Lindstrom the campaign will gather a great team of supporters.

Bender said he plans to campaign for the next eight months. His other stops this week include the State House in Concord on April 15, the Portsmouth Country Club on April 16 and Bow High School on April 17.

Corey Smith can be contacted at csmith@keeneequinox.com.