By John DiStaso
June 7, 2021
(WMUR) – PRAISING HASSAN. The progressive political action committee End Citizens United/Let America Vote on Monday is launching a new television ad praising Sen. Maggie Hassan for her support for the federal For the People Act campaign finance and election reform bill.
The bill passed the House in March on a party-line vote, but its future in the Senate is uncertain at best.
Moderate Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia announced during the weekend that he will oppose the bill and reiterated his opposition to eliminating the 60-vote filibuster threshold to allow passage on a simple majority.
That announcement leaves Democrats one vote short of passage of filibuster reform, and effectively, the For the People Act. No Republicans support the bill.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he plans to bring the bill – also known as S.1 – to the Senate floor the week of June 21. Last week, President Joe Biden named Vice President Kamala Harris to push for passage of the bill.
Hassan is seeking a second term in 2022. She, along with fellow Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and U.S. Reps. Annie Kuster and Chris Pappas are strong supporters of the bill, which has been opposed, however, by Republican Gov. Chris Sununu and Secretary of State William Gardner.
Republicans in the New Hampshire House last week passed an amendment asserting the state’s right to conduct its own elections if the For the People Act passes and is enacted.
ECU/LAV said its new ad is part of a $1 million buy announced in early May.
It features Theo Groh on his family farm in Wilson. He says that “Washington keeps forgetting” its rank-and-file constituents.
“Corporate special interests and their lobbyists have all the power,” he says. “Maggie Hassan is fighting to change that. She supports the For the People Act. It cracks down on corruption and gets big money out of our elections so that everyone can have a voice, no matter who you vote for.
“Thank you, Senator Hassan, for putting people first.”
The ad, which can be viewed here and below, is the subject of a $42,000 buy on WMUR-TV beginning today, through the next week, according to publicly filed documents with the Federal Communications Commission.
ECU/LAV says it has been involved in organizing a grassroots campaign supporting the bill, which is being run by organizations such as 603 Forward, Open Democracy, the Kent Street Coalition and America Votes.
“These organizations are holding informational events and panels over the course of the month to highlight how deeply needed the For The People Act is needed to finally make progress on issues like climate change, fixing the tax code to help small businesses, defend LGBTQIA rights by finally passing the Equality Act, and more.”