By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org

MANCHESTER – Two women whose life stories could not be further apart debated Thursday – at times explosively – in a race for the District 2 seat in Congress now being vacated by Annie Kuster, D-NH.

They traded positions on issues from childcare, abortion, immigration, the peaceful transfer of power, to support for Ukraine and offered stark differences.

Chinese born “survivor of communism,” Lily Tang Williams of Weare, the Republican nominee, who became a U.S. citizen in 1994 went toe-to-toe with Nashua native, Groton and Yale Law graduate and member of the politically connected Tampsoi family of Nashua, Maggie Goodlander during a debate before the Nov. 5 general election on WMUR-TV.

It was their last of two.

Many in District 2, which is much of the western part of the state, are still getting acquainted with the two relative newcomers.

Goodlander, a Democrat, who was in the Navy, a clerk at the Supreme Court, U.S. deputy assistant attorney general for the Antitrust Division from 2022-24 and was senior policy advisor to U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman and John McCain is married to Biden Administration National Security Advisory Jake Sullivan. She has deep political roots in the state as the daughter of former state Representative and congressional candidate Betty Tamposi and the granddaughter of real estate developer and Republican operative Sam Tamposi.

Tang Williams, is both a lawyer and China business consultant who had been Libertarian and ran in Colorado and previously in New Hampshire came to the United States with $100 and is what Gov. Chris Sununu calls a “phenomenal success story.”

The debate offered the two a chance to introduce themselves and offer a closing statement at the same time.

The questions began about their personal connections to the Second Congressional District.

Asked if Goodlander would be a resident of the district, she said she is a proud New Hampshire girl and it made her who she is today. She said she has taught at UNH and Dartmouth and her apartment in Nashua looks over the hospital where she was born. She said she would be owning property in the district if elected and noted, “this is an advocacy job,” which needs to be attended to. 

Tang Williams was asked if she only moved here from Colorado to run for office. 

She said in Colorado, while running there, it was impossible to get the sort of traction she needed like a debate platform that WMUR offered.

She said the government can print unlimited money on the backs of working class people and that causes inflation.

“It’s always the government that can print money,” Tang Williams said.

Goodlander was asked about the quickest way to get inflation relief.

“People are feeling the pain of high prices right now,” she said. “There is no silver bullet here.”

She said one driver is antitrust and there are very different views with her candidate on tax fairness. Giving a big break to the wealthy is what Goodlander said her opponent has embraced.

“I will fight with everything I’ve got to fight the pain,” Goodlander said.

Child care was an issue discussed. Goodlander said it has been the issue for people getting back to work and this is a workforce development issue. She said there could be a bipartisan solution in the works in Washington.

Asked about Social Security and her previous comments about it while a candidate in Colorado, Tang Williams said it is earned benefits and for people who pay into the system all their lives but if you are not an American you should not get “a piece of that pie.”

Goodlander said we must strengthen and protect Social Security.

She noted that her opponent is willing to put it on the “chopping block” and she said Tang Williams’ positions are contrary.

On immigration, Goodlander did not say whether she would support deportation and that a border security bill has been blocked by “politicians who want to sow chaos” referring to former President Donald Trump who is running for President as the Republican nominee.

Tang Williams said as an immigrant it took her six years but she came here “the right way.”

She said she would support deporting illegal immigrants.

On abortion Tang Williams said she would not vote on the issue at the national level.

“If a baby can live outside the body of its mother…why do you want to act like communist China to kill that baby?” Tang Williams said.

Goodlander said this is a core issue where the two candidates have massive differences.

Asked about late-term abortions, Goodlander said she has her own personal experience when last year at 20 weeks pregnant she managed a stillbirth and lost her son.

Women in America should not be living and trying to navigate this post Roe world and she would fight to protect a woman’s right to choose.

Asked about the peaceful transfer of power, Tang Williams said there were issues in the 2020 election where there were questions and people had the right to protest.

Asked if that election was fair and free she said “I do not know…I’m not God. I’m not angel.”

Goodlander said these are not legitimate questions, they are conspiracy theories that have been debunked and are dangerous to democracy. 

She said anyone with that doubt about who won has no business serving in Congress.

Climate crisis was also addressed with the two women having a polar opposite position and approach. 

Goodlander said reliable clean energy solutions will lower energy costs and create jobs in this state.

Tang Williams said climate change is real but she does not like the “top down” approach.

On cutting the deficit, Goodlander said massive subsidies to big oil companies could reduce the deficit. 

Tang Williams said the best way to cut the deficit is to cut jobs and stick to a plan but Goodlander said that would hurt people.

Tang Williams said the country cannot afford to give more help for Ukraine.

Goodlander said this is a fight for democracy which is supported across the district.

“I believe deeply in the cause of Ukraine,” Goodlander said.

Tang Williams attacked Goodlander’s husband, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Goodlander asked her to keep the debate professional, not personal.

On Israel, Goodlander said it has a right to defend itself and there is a humanitarian responsibility to Gaza from both the U.S. and Israel.

Tang Williams said she supports Israel.

She said she is independent minded and is the embodiment of the American dream.

“Do you want someone from the swamp?” she said of Goodlander, in reference to her time in Washington.

“I will represent you with pride and transparency,” if elected, Tang Williams said.

Goodlander said she has taken the oath to protect the nation many times in many roles and believes we can all still come together to protect freedom and democracy.

“It would be the honor of my lifetime to serve New Hampshire in the people’s house,” Goodlander said.