Contrasts among State Senate hopefuls come clear at Candidates Forum

Incumbent State Sen. James Gray and challenger State Rep. Anne Grassie (Rochester Voice photos)

ROCHESTER - District 6 Senate candidates James Gray and Anne Grassie squared off in what is the closest thing they'll come to a debate on Monday night during a televised Candidates Forum at City Hall.

Taking questions from the audience, viewers at home and a media panel, Gray, the Republican incumbent; and his Democrat challenger, currently a state rep, showed the greatest differences on gun legislation, the legalization of marijuana and sanctuary cities for illegal immigrants.

Asked whether she would support a state bill to make New Hampshire a sanctuary state or a bill that would allow individual cities or towns to enact their own sanctuary status, Grassie said, "I don't know if I'd push for New Hampshire to be a sanctuary state; I think we are a welcoming state. We have a lot of refugee population in our big cities and they've become very successful."

Pressed if she would support a bill that would allow Granite State cities to individually declare as having "sanctuary" status, Grassie said she'd leave that up to the individual cities.

Gray countered that he was neither in favor of New Hampshire being a sanctuary state nor allowing a city or town to declare itself as a sanctuaries for illegal immigrants.

On a national level, he added that the "GOP and Democrats have to solve the problem of so-called "Dreamers," those brought in illegally while children; or those who came in illegally as an adult.

On whether state gun laws need to be tightened, Grassie said she was in favor of bringing back the need for concealed carry permits to let police departments know who was carrying concealed weapons.

Gray said he felt the gun laws are adequate as they are and that a gun owner can go from concealed carry to open carry just by tucking in their shirt.

Grassie also said she was in favor of raising the age for gun ownership, which is currently 18.

On the legalization of recreational marijuana the contrast was less stark, with Grassie stopping short of saying she was in favor of it, adding she wanted more info on its effects and tools for police to identify cannabis-impaired drivers.

Gray, meanwhile, said he was firmly against the legalization of recreational marijuana but did want the feds to take if off the Schedule 1 drug list so that more testing could be conducted on its effects.

The Candidates Forum also featured all 19 Rochester state rep candidates vying for nine separate district seats.

The forum can be viewed on the City of Rochester website and will be replayed by Atlantic Broadband several times leading up to the Nov. 6 election.

The forum was presented by the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce.