By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org

MANCHESTER — Two women whose life stories couldn’t be further apart debated Thursday — sometimes explosively — in a race for the District 2 seat in Congress now being vacated by Annie Kuster, D-NH.

They exchanged views on issues from childcare, abortion, immigration, the peaceful transfer of power to support for Ukraine and offered major disagreements.

Chinese-born “communism survivor,” Lily Tang Williams of Weare, the Republican candidate who became a U.S. citizen in 1994, walked hand in hand 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 covers much of the western part of the state, are still getting to know the two relative newcomers.

Goodlander, a Democrat who served in the Navy, clerked for the Supreme Court, was deputy assistant attorney general of the U.S. Antitrust Division from 2022-2024 and was a senior policy adviser to U.S. Sens. Joe Lieberman and John McCain, is married to Gov. Biden National Security Advisor 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 a Chinese business consultant, who was a libertarian who operated in Colorado and previously New Hampshire, came to the United States with $100 and what Governor Chris Sununu calls a “phenomenal success story.”

The debate gave the two an opportunity to introduce themselves and make a closing statement at the same time.

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

When asked if Goodlander would be a resident of the district, she said she is a proud New Hampshire girl and it has made her who she is today. She said she has taught at UNH and Dartmouth and her apartment in Nashua overlooks the hospital where she was born. She said she would own property in the district if elected, noting, “This is an advocacy job” that needs to be addressed.

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

She said that in Colorado, while she was running there, it was impossible to get the kind of traction she needed, such as a debate platform that WMUR provided.

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

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

Goodlander was asked about the fastest 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 director is antitrust and her candidate has very different views on tax fairness. Giving the wealthy a big break is what Goodlander said her opponent has embraced.

“I will fight with everything I have to fight the pain,” Goodlander said.

Childcare was a topic that was discussed. Goodlander said it’s a problem for people to return to work and it’s a problem for workforce development. She said a bipartisan solution could be in the works in Washington.

When asked about Social Security and her previous comments about it when she was a candidate in Colorado, Tang Williams said it is an earned benefit and it is for people who pay into the system their entire lives, but if you are not American you would should not “get a piece of it”. cake.”

Goodlander said we need to strengthen and protect Social Security.

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

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 a Republican candidate.

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

She said she would support the deportation of illegal immigrants.

On abortion, Tang Williams said she would not vote on the issue nationally.

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

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

When asked about late-term abortions, Goodlander said she has her own personal experience when she suffered a stillbirth and lost her son last year when she was 20 weeks pregnant.

Women in America should not have to live and try to find their way in 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.

When asked if that election was fair and free, she said: “I don’t know…I’m not God. I’m no angel.”

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

She said anyone who questions who won has no business in Congress.

The climate crisis was also tackled, with the two women taking opposite positions and approaches.

Goodlander said reliable clean energy solutions will reduce energy costs and create jobs in the state.

Tang Williams said climate change is real, but she doesn’t like the top-down approach.

In reducing the deficit, Goodlander said huge subsidies to major oil companies could reduce the deficit.

Tang Williams said the best way to reduce 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 provide more aid to Ukraine.

Goodlander said this is a fight for democracy that has the support of the entire district.

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

Tang Williams attacked Goodlander’s husband, national security adviser Jake Sullivan, and Goodlander asked her to keep the debate professional, not personal.

About Israel, Goodlander said it has the right to defend itself and that both the US and Israel have a humanitarian responsibility to Gaza.

Tang Williams said she supports Israel.

She said she has an independent spirit and is the embodiment of the American dream.

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

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

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

“It would be the honor of my life to serve New Hampshire in the House,” Goodlander said.