Stepanek Calls WMUR-TV Republican Debates A 'Disgrace,' Proposes Debate Commission

By Michael Graham, NH Journal

Every two years, Republican candidates and campaign pros complain about the state’s political debate process, where left-of-center media outlets control the questions and no center-right voices are involved.

Now, in the wake of WMUR’s NH-02 GOP primary debate debacle, Republicans are doing something about it.

Former New Hampshire Republican Party Chairman Steve Stepanek is calling for the creation of a Republican debate commission to review the relationship between the party and the media.

“The WMUR Republican primary debates were a disgrace,” Stepanek said Thursday. “Republican primary voters in both congressional districts tuned in to hear where our candidates stand on taxes, housing, energy, spending and the cost of living. What they got was a gotcha session written for a different audience.”

The proposal follows WMUR debates featuring Republican candidates in the 1st and 2nd Congressional Districts. Stepanek accused the station of framing questions for a general election audience instead of helping GOP voters choose their nominees.

“A Republican primary debate has one job: Help Republican voters choose a Republican nominee,” Stepanek said. “These debates did not do that job. The questions were built to generate clips, not clarity.”

During the NH-02 debate, WMUR anchor Christa Delcamp incorrectly told candidate Victor Orlando that he had supported Nikki Haley in the 2024 presidential primary.

“I never supported Nikki Haley. I’m not sure where that came from,” Orlando replied.

A more glaring example often invoked by Republicans is WMUR’s October 2024 gubernatorial debate between Republican Kelly Ayotte and Democrat Joyce Craig. The station opened with multiple questions about abortion and repeatedly pressed Ayotte about Donald Trump, but did not ask a single question about taxes or the economy.

The moderators also ignored one of the race’s biggest policy differences: Craig’s support for restoring New Hampshire’s tax on interest and dividend income, which Ayotte opposed. A poll released that day found the economy and inflation were voters’ top concerns. NHJournal reported at the time that the hourlong debate did not include a question about rising prices, jobs, the state budget or taxes.

“Primary candidates should really only participate in debates controlled by their own party, not opposition media or activists,” House Majority Leader Jason Osborne (R-Auburn) posted on social media during Tuesday night’s NH-01 GOP debate.

Stepanek, president of the conservative Pine Tree Public Policy Institute, said his organization plans to work with the New Hampshire Republican Party and allied groups to establish a New Hampshire Republican Debate Commission ahead of the 2028 primary campaign.

The commission would set the format, choose the moderators and determine the questions for Republican primary debates. Stepanek said WMUR could still participate as the broadcast partner.

“They have the reach and the production capability,” Stepanek said. “But the questions, the format and the moderator of the debate must serve Republican primary voters. Broadcast is a partnership. Control of the substance is not negotiable.”

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This story was originally published by the NH Journal, an online news publication dedicated to providing fair, unbiased reporting on, and analysis of, political news of interest to New Hampshire. For more stories from the NH Journal, visit NHJournal.com.