A Republican Senate candidate was reportedly grazed by a protester’s punch thrown before Wednesday’s debate with incumbent Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH).
Donald Bolduc, a retired Army general, was allegedly assaulted at Saint Anselm College’s New Hampshire Institute of Politics before his debate with Hassan.
The Epoch Times further reported:
Bolduc, a retired Army brigadier general, mentioned the incident near the end of the Nov. 2 second and final debate ahead of the Nov. 8 midterm elections.
“It’s a sign of political problems—Republicans and Democrats—that fuel issues with people that get them to the point where they are just so upset at an individual that they strike out at them. Happened to me outside just before I came in,” Bolduc said, noting that this kind of behavior is wrong and needs to be stopped.
The Army veteran referred to the attack while responding to a question from a moderator who asked what he would do to prevent incidents of political violence in the United States such as the recent hammer attack against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband Paul.
According to video footage circulating online, Bolduc was among a cheering crowd of supporters outside the New Hampshire Institute of Politics on the Saint Anselm College campus late on Wednesday when the attacker, who hasn’t been identified, appeared to lunge toward Bolduc in an attempt to punch him.
“He hit me. He hit me,” Bolduc shouted, although it is unclear from the video owing to law enforcement quickly apprehending the suspect and blocking the view.
Angie Wong, a spokeswoman for Bolduc’s campaign, denounced the attack on social media, confirming that Bolduc was unharmed and “his attacker arrested.”
“We’ve got to stop the political violence encouraged by hate speeches from our leaders. [Bolduc] was attacked before his debate tonight. Luckily he is ok and his attacker arrested,” Wong said on Twitter.
It is unclear if the assailant is a supporter of the Republican nominee’s Democrat opponent.
The New Hampshire Goffstown Police Department was unable to comment on the matter Thursday night.
According to Kevin Donohoe, Hassan’s campaign communications director, the suspect is a “libertarian party activist” who also targeted volunteers of Hassan’s campaign.
“Disgusting behavior. We saw this same libertarian party activist get aggressive with our campaign volunteers at this debate and the last,” Donohoe claimed on Twitter.
The Senate race in New Hampshire has tightened considerably in the last month. A recent poll conducted by the Saint Anselm College Survey Center showed Bolduc having a one-point lead as the two vie for a key Senate seat.
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