Jared Sullivan vows to oppose Trump in Senate bid

WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP THE FIELD OF US SENATE CANDIDATES VYING TO CLAIM THE SEAT, OPENING WITH THE RETIREMENT OF SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS. AT THE MOMENT. ALL OF THE ACTION AND COMPETITION IS ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE OF THINGS. THAT’S PROBABLY GOING TO CHANGE SOON, BUT WE’RE GETTING TO KNOW ALL THE CANDIDATES RIGHT NOW. IN THE LATEST ONE ON THE SCENE IS A STATE REP FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY. JARED SULLIVAN IS OUR GUEST THIS MORNING. REPRESENTATIVE, THANKS FOR COMING IN. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. SO TAKE US THROUGH WHY YOU’RE RUNNING FOR US SENATE AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO YOU ARE AS A PERSON. SURE. YEAH. SO I WOULD ACTUALLY GO BACK A LITTLE BIT. SO WHAT GOT ME INVOLVED IN POLITICS? I HAD A LONG CAREER AS A REAL ESTATE ECONOMIST. I WAS AT ONE POINT IN TIME, THE ONE OF THE NATION’S LEADING EXPERTS ON THE WAREHOUSE MARKET AS A REAL ESTATE ECONOMIST. AND I WAS WORKING ONE DAY, AND THAT DAY HAPPENED TO BE JANUARY 6TH. AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT THAT WAS LIKE, RIGHT? AND FOR ME, THAT HAD THE SAME IMPACT AS SEPTEMBER 11TH. IT WAS A VISCERAL REACTION. I REMEMBER EXACTLY WHERE I WAS AND HOW I FELT FOR BOTH THOSE EVENTS. AND AFTER A LOT OF REFLECTION, I SAID, WELL, WE NEED BETTER PEOPLE IN POLITICS, PEOPLE THAT ARE TRUSTWORTHY. AND THAT WAS MY MOTIVATION TO RUN FOR STATE REP. AND WE HAD AN OPEN SEAT. THEY HAD JUST DONE REDISTRICTING. AND SO IT SEEMED LIKE A GREAT PLACE FOR ME TO TRY TO DO MY LITTLE PART TO IMPROVE THE POLITICAL SYSTEM, WHICH HAS BECOME SO TOXIC. AND SO YOU FAST FORWARD TO TRUMP GETS REELECTED. AND THAT KIND OF SURPRISED MANY PEOPLE, I THINK. I THINK PEOPLE KIND OF THOUGHT AFTER JANUARY 6TH, HE WAS SORT OF DONE, AND HERE WE ARE. AND SO I ENDED UP THINKING WHAT’S GOING ON? AND PEOPLE THINK THE SYSTEM IS TOXIC. I’VE HIT A THOUSAND PLUS STORES IN MY TWO ELECTION CYCLES, AND WHAT I HEAR OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS THAT THE SYSTEM IS TOXIC. ALL YOU GUYS DO IS ATTACK EACH OTHER. YOU NEVER TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO DO TO TRY TO SOLVE A PROBLEM OR EVEN IDENTIFY PROBLEMS. YOU’RE JUST TOO BUSY, LIKE SLINGING MUD. AND THEY’RE NOT WRONG BECAUSE THAT’S OUR INCENTIVE STRUCTURE. YOU KNOW, IF I’M RUNNING AGAINST YOU, ADAM, ALL I HAVE TO DO IS GET PEOPLE TO HATE YOU MORE THAN THEY HATE ME. I DON’T HAVE TO ACTUALLY EARN THE RESPECT OF ANYBODY. JUST GET THEM TO HATE YOU MORE. IT’S A TERRIBLE INCENTIVE. INCENTIVE STRUCTURE. IT’S A RACE TO THE BOTTOM. SO BACK IN, IN LIKE APRIL OF THIS YEAR WHEN I STARTED DEPORTING PEOPLE WITHOUT DUE PROCESS, OUR FEDERAL DELEGATION WAS LARGELY SILENT. YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT IT, BUT IT WAS TO ME A HUGE CONCERN BECAUSE WHEN YOU DEPORT SOMEBODY WITHOUT DUE PROCESS, WHICH IS PROTECTED BY THE FIFTH AND THE 14TH AMENDMENT, YOU’RE TAKING AWAY DUE PROCESS RIGHTS FOR EVERY SINGLE AMERICAN IN THE PROCESS. YOU CAN’T JUST SELECTIVELY CHOOSE WHO GETS THOSE RIGHTS. THOSE ARE IN THE SUPREME COURT’S BEEN VERY CLEAR ABOUT THIS THROUGHOUT THE THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY. AND SO I JUST SAID, YOU KNOW, I WANT SOMEBODY WHO’S GOING TO ACTUALLY SPEAK UP AND USE THEIR VOICE, BECAUSE WHEN YOU’RE IN A MINORITY, YOU CAN USE YOUR VOICE. AND I’M IN A MINORITY IN THE STATE HOUSE, AND I CAN STILL SPEAK TO PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT’S GOING ON. AND AND EVEN IF POLICY LEVERS AREN’T ARE A TOOL YET, EDUCATING PEOPLE IS PART OF YOUR JOB AS A POLITICIAN. AND AS YOU KNOW, THE MEDIA ENVIRONMENT IS A BIT FRACTURED THESE DAYS. AND SO YOU GOT TO SORT OF USE YOUR VOICE IN ANY WAY YOU CAN, WHETHER IT’S TALKING TO PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELF OR OR TALKING ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA, TO THE PEOPLE THAT FOLLOW YOU THAT MAYBE AREN’T AWARE OF IT. I STARTED DOING THAT IN THIS TIME AND AND I GOT SOME GREAT CONVERSATIONS WITH REPUBLICANS, INCLUDING ONE THAT I HAD I HAD BREAKFAST WITH AT THE TILTON DINER, AND WE TALKED ABOUT HOW WHEN YOU TAKE AWAY DUE PROCESS, WHAT THAT MEANS FOR EVERYBODY, AND HE ENDED UP WRITING LETTERS TO HIS COUNTY DELEGATION ABOUT IT BECAUSE HE WAS REALLY CONCERNED. AND WE NEED PEOPLE TO BE AWARE OF THESE DANGERS, EVEN IF IT’S SOMEBODY YOU DO SUPPORT WHO’S MAKING THEM, THEY’RE STILL SOMETHING THAT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND PUTS US ALL AT RISK. SO THAT WAS THAT WAS THE REAL MOTIVATION FOR ME TO GET GET TO THIS POINT. YEAH. ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE, THERE’S A CLEAR FRONTRUNNER ALREADY IN CHRIS PAPPAS. AND YOU MENTIONED YOU FOUND HIM WANTING IN TERMS OF HIS ABILITY TO ADVOCATE FOR THE PEOPLE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. BUT DEMOCRATS WANT TO WIN THE SEAT. THEY NEED TO HOLD IT IF THEY’RE GOING TO WIN BACK THE SENATE. SO WHEN DEMOCRATS ASK YOU WHY CHALLENGE CHRIS PAPPAS? WHY CHALLENGE THE FOUR TIME CONGRESSMAN? WHAT DO YOU TELL THEM? I TELL THEM RIGHT NOW, HE’S HE’S BEEN A GOOD CONGRESSMAN. I’M NOT GOING TO SMEAR CHRIS PAPPAS AT ALL. THAT’S NOT MY INTENTION. I’M TRYING TO GIVE AN ALTERNATIVE, SOMEBODY WHO ACTUALLY IS WILLING TO STAND UP AND FIGHT AND USE THEIR VOICE. AND I DON’T THINK HE’S DONE THAT. I THINK HE’S DONE. HE’S A GOOD LEGISLATOR. HE’S HE’S BEEN EFFECTIVE IN HIS FOR FOUR TERMS. I WILL GIVE HIM THAT. WHAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW IS SOMEBODY WHO’S GOING TO USE THEIR VOICE AND ACTUALLY FIGHT, BECAUSE IF WE LOSE OUR CONSTITUTION, IF WE FALL INTO A DICTATORSHIP, WHICH WE’RE CREEPING TOWARDS, AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL THAT WAY, THEN WHAT DO WE HAVE LEFT? IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT YOUR YOUR GOALS ARE IN HEALTH CARE OR, YOU KNOW, SOCIAL SECURITY OR EDUCATION FUNDING OR ANY OF THESE OTHER ISSUES, IT’S GOING TO BE DECIDED BY WHOEVER’S AT THE TOP. AND THAT’S SCARY. AND YOU’RE SEEING MORE ATTACKS ON THE CONSTITUTION. I MEAN, WE SEE WHAT’S GOING ON RIGHT NOW WITH I’M SURE YOU’RE CONCERNED AS, AS A, AS A REPORTER WITH WHAT HEGSETH IS DOING WITH RESPECT TO THE PENTAGON. AND, AND ALMOST NO MEDIA OUTLETS HAVE SIGNED ON TO THIS PLEDGE WHERE THEY WOULD HAVE TO APPROVE STORIES AND ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF. I MEAN, LIKE, YOU MUST NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THOSE SORTS OF MOVES BY THE IT’S A DIRECT ATTACK ON OUR FIRST AMENDMENT AND I THINK USING OUR VOICE TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT THESE THINGS, BECAUSE THE FIRST AMENDMENT IS THE RIGHT THAT WHAT DO THEY SAY? IT’S THE RIGHT THAT ALL OTHER RIGHTS FLOW FROM. AND THERE’S NOTHING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE BETTER THAN TO CONTROL THE NARRATIVE AND SAY WHAT THE MEDIA CAN SAY AND, AND PUNISH PEOPLE WHO POST THINGS ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT THEY THEY DISAGREE WITH. THEY’RE DOING IT. THEY’RE TAKING AWAY VISAS. THEY’RE TARGETING SCHOOLS, AND THEY’RE NOW GOING AFTER THE MEDIA DIRECTLY. AND THAT THAT SHOULD CONCERN EVERY SINGLE AMERICAN, BECAUSE EVEN IF THE GUYS IN CHARGE WHO YOU LIKE RIGHT NOW, SOMEDAY SOMEBODY IS GOING TO BE SITTING IN THAT SEAT WHO YOU DON’T LIKE AND YOU DON’T WANT THEM TO HAVE UNFETTERED POWER TO DO WHATEVER THEY WANT. YOU ARE A RELATIVELY YOUNG, WORKING CLASS MAN. DEMOCRATS ARE LOSING YOUR DEMOGRAPHIC IN A BIG WAY, AND SOME PEOPLE IN THE PARTY ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY. WHAT’S YOUR THEORY OF THE CASE? WHY ARE DEMOCRATS LOSING SO MANY PEOPLE LIKE YOU? I THINK, WELL, THIS IS TWO. ONE IS WE’VE WE’VE FOCUSED ON PEOPLE THAT MAYBE ARE A LITTLE MORE OUT OF TOUCH. SO WE FOCUS ON ISSUES THAT SOME OF THE CULTURE WAR ISSUES THAT REPUBLICANS ARE PARTICULARLY GOOD AT DRIVING THOSE UP BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE I THINK DEMOCRATS WE ARE GENERALLY ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY WHEN IT COMES TO A LOT OF THESE HUMAN RIGHTS TYPE ISSUES. WE DON’T TRY TO DEMONIZE PEOPLE LIKE IMMIGRANTS. WE DON’T TRY TO DEMONIZE PEOPLE OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY. THE PEOPLE ON THE RIGHT, PARTICULARLY REALLY FAR RIGHT. THEY ARE VERY COMFORTABLE DOING THAT. RIGHT. AND SO WE’RE WILLING TO STAND UP FOR THOSE. BUT I THINK SOMETIMES WE GET A LITTLE DISTRACTED IN THAT, AND WE MISS WHAT REALLY MATTERS TO MOST PEOPLE, WHICH IS HOW DO PEOPLE AFFORD TO LIVE IN THIS DAY AND AGE? I MEAN, LISTEN, I GET IT. SO I, I’VE SORT OF HAD MY FOOT IN BOTH SIDES. I’VE LIKE I SAID EARLIER IN THE SHOW, I WAS A REAL ESTATE ECONOMIST. I HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL CAREER. I WAS DOING GREAT, AND I GAVE THAT UP TO DO ALL THIS WORK. AND NOW I KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE BECAUSE I, I SCOOP ICE CREAM AT SUPER SECRET ICE CREAM UP IN UP IN BETHLEHEM. I WORK FOR CANAAN SKI MOUNTAIN DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. I MEAN, DURING THE DURING THE WINTER I WORK AT UPS DURING THE CHRISTMAS TIME AND I SUBSTITUTE TEACH LIKE I’M PIECING IT ALL TOGETHER AND I’M STRUGGLING WITH THINGS. I GET IT, I REALLY GET WHAT THE STRUGGLE IS LIKE. LIKE I NEED TO PAINT MY HOUSE. I CAN TAKE TIME OFF FROM WORKING TO PAINT MY HOUSE, BUT THEN I’M NOT MAKING MONEY DURING THAT TIME. SO THAT STRUGGLE IS VERY REAL TO SO MANY. AND I THINK WHEN DEMOCRATS GET CAUGHT UP IN SOME OF THESE OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT BUT AREN’T SORT OF RESONATING WITH THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE, THEN THEY THINK, WELL, THESE PEOPLE, THESE PEOPLE, MEANING DEMOCRATS ONLY CARE ABOUT THESE ISSUES THAT AREN’T GOING TO IMPACT ME. AND REALLY, WHAT I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IS GET MY HOUSE PAINTED, OR I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PAY MY PROPERTY TAXES, YOU KNOW? SO I THINK THAT THAT’S WE’VE KIND OF GOT A LITTLE DISTRACTED. IF YOU WERE IN WASHINGTON, IN THE US SENATE RIGHT NOW, WOULD YOU BE VOTING TO KEEP THE GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN UNTIL YOU GET THIS DEAL ON ACA TAX CREDITS? ABSOLUTELY. SO HEALTH CARE IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS. I MEAN, I’M SO GLAD THAT THE DEMOCRATS ARE DOING THIS RIGHT NOW. I KNOW THAT THEY’RE TRYING TO BLAME US, BUT THE REPUBLICANS AND AND DONALD TRUMP SPECIFICALLY HAVE NOT BEEN GOOD FAITH ACTORS. THEY SPEAK OUT OF BOTH SIDES OF THEIR MOUTHS. THEY’LL SAY ONE THING, THEY’RE GOING TO DO ANOTHER, PARTICULARLY DONALD TRUMP. HE HAS A LONG HISTORY OF THAT. BEFORE HE BECAME A POLITICIAN OF OF SAYING ONE THING AND DOING ANOTHER. SO UNLESS YOU HAVE CONCRETE AGREEMENT THAT IS ENFORCEABLE AND THAT, YOU KNOW, IS GOING TO HAPPEN, I WOULD NOT NEGOTIATE WITH THEM BECAUSE IF THEY SAY, OH, YEAH, WE’LL GET TO THAT, JUST OPEN THIS UP, THEY’RE GOING TO TAKE WHAT THEY GIVE AND THEY’RE NOT GOING TO GIVE ANYTHING BACK. THEY’VE DONE THAT MULTIPLE TIMES AND IT’S A TERRIBLE TYPE OF POLITICS. WE SHOULDN’T BE DOING POLITICS WHERE IT’S LIKE IT’S OUR WAY OR NO WAY. LIKE THERE SHOULD BE COMPROMISE. THERE SHOULD BE INCENTIVE TO COMPROMISE, WHICH IS KIND OF THE STARTING OF MY, OF, OF, OF WHEN WE STARTED THE SHOW, IS WE NEED TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN HAVE A BETTER POLITICS, WHERE THE INCENTIVES ARE TO WORK TOGETHER IF WE NEED TO GET AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE, WE NEED TO GET AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER TO MOVE THAT BALL FORWARD. IF THAT MEANS SOME OF MY IDEAS AND SOME OF YOUR IDEAS, AND IT MOVES THE BALL FORWARD A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE DON’T GET EVERYTHING WE WANT, THEN THAT’S LIKE, THAT’S HOW IT’S SUPPOSED TO WORK. AND YOU DO SEE THAT IN SLIVERS OF OUR GOVERNMENT. YOU SEE THAT ON MY COMMITTEE THAT I SIT ON IN THE HOUSE WHERE WE DO WORK TOGETHER AS DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS. BUT IN SO MANY PLACES WE DON’T. I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT AT THE STATE HOUSE, YOU’RE A KEY PLAYER IN THE CANNABIS LEGALIZATION DEBATE. IS THAT AN ISSUE YOU’RE GOING TO TAKE TO D.C. TO TRY AND LEGALIZE CANNABIS AT THE NATIONAL? YEAH, I THINK SO. I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, CANNABIS LEGALIZATION, PARTICULARLY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, THERE WAS THE LAST POLL I SAW WAS IN APRIL, 70% OF PEOPLE, INCLUDING 55% OF REPUBLICANS, WANT IT LEGAL IN THIS STATE. WE NEED TO STOP ARRESTING PEOPLE FOR THIS. RIGHT. AND IF WE COULD GET THAT TO HAPPEN AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, ALL THE STATES WOULD FALL INTO LINE AND WE WOULD STOP ARRESTING PEOPLE NATIONWIDE FOR SOMETHING THAT MOST PEOPLE IN THIS STATE CERTAINLY WANT TO SEE LEGAL. WE NEED TO STOP RUINING PEOPLE’S LIVES BECAUSE THEY GET ARRESTED AND GET CHARGED WITH FELONIES FOR POSSESSION OF CANNABIS. AND I THINK PUSHING THAT AT THE STATE LEVEL WOULD BE WOULD BE REALLY GREAT. ALL RIGHT. REPRESENTATIVE JARED SULLIVAN RUNNING FOR U.S. SENATE, THANKS FOR JOINING US HERE ON CLOSE-UP. WE’LL SEE YOU OUT THERE ON THE TRAIL NEXT TIME. WE’LL TRY