Lily Tang Williams Hits Airwaves With Ads On Freedom, Affordability

By Michael Graham, NH Journal

NH-02 Republican candidate Lily Tang Williams launched a television and digital advertising campaign Wednesday, putting affordability at the center of her bid to unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Maggie Goodlander in New Hampshire’s 2nd Congressional District.

The campaign says the six-figure buy will run across broadcast television, cable, streaming television and digital platforms, with the ads remaining on the air through Election Day.

The two new spots pair Williams’ account of growing up under communism in China with an attack on Washington’s handling of rising household costs.

“Maggie Goodlander was born on third base and thinks she hit a triple. She can’t relate to what families in the Second District pay for groceries, heat, and housing. Lily will fight to bring those costs down,” said Williams’ campaign strategist Michael Biundo.

The first ad, “Make the American Dream Affordable,” tells Williams’ story of growing up under Mao Zedong’s communist regime and coming to the United States in search of freedom and opportunity. According to the campaign, it juxtaposes images of communist China with Williams’ life today, warning against collectivism and promising to make life more affordable for Granite Staters.

“I lived under communism. I saw firsthand where it leads: poverty, despair and the loss of individual freedom,” Williams said in the announcement. “I came to America because here, hard work and freedom give people the opportunity to build a better life. I will fight to make sure we never lose that American Dream.”

The candidates’ backgrounds offer a sharp contrast: Williams grew up under Mao Zedong’s communist regime and fled China to build a new life in America, while Goodlander is a scion of Nashua’s wealthy and politically prominent Tamposi family. Her grandfather, Samuel Tamposi, built a real estate fortune and became a part-owner of the Boston Red Sox. Her mother, Betty Tamposi, served as a Republican state representative and assistant secretary of state under President George H.W. Bush. Much of Goodlander’s substantial personal wealth derives from her grandfather’s fortune.

The second spot, “Complaints Department,” features Williams behind a literal complaints desk, according to the campaign. It targets rising health care costs and Washington’s failure to provide relief, closing with the message, “New Hampshire can’t afford more Goodlander.”

“Granite Staters have one big complaint: life costs too much,” Williams said. “Maggie Goodlander and the Washington establishment aren’t fixing it. New Hampshire can’t afford more of the same.”

Goodlander has been up on the air for weeks. Her first ad highlighted her confrontation with President Donald Trump over a video reminding military personnel to obey lawful orders and refuse unlawful ones. In an email promoting the spot, Goodlander said Trump had demanded her arrest and accused her of seditious behavior.

“The president tried to intimidate me into silence. I didn’t back down,” Goodlander wrote.

The November contest is a rematch of the 2024 election, which Goodlander won with approximately 53% of the vote to Williams’ 47%. Goodlander is seeking a second term.

Williams enters the final stretch trailing in public polling. A University of New Hampshire poll released Sept. 24 put Goodlander ahead 56% to 35% among likely voters in the district. The reported margin of sampling error was 3.7 percentage points.

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.