Republican New Hampshire Senate candidate Don Bolduc alleged that an individual tried to punch him Wednesday, an accusation that appears unproven by footage of the incident.
A Bolduc campaign manager told Boston 25 that a person in a crowd “attempted to punch” Bolduc prior to the candidate’s evening debate against Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan at St. Anselm College. Joseph Hart, 37, of Greenville, Rhode Island, 37, was arrested and “charged with criminal trespass and disorderly conduct,” according to Goffstown police, who said the college had told “a male party” he was not welcome on the property anymore.
In one video of the incident, Hart approaches Bolduc with an unknown object as he jogs by people holding campaign signs.
The candidate moves backward moments later, and police move in on Hart, who Libertarian New Hampshire Gubernatorial candidate Karlyn Borysenko later identified as a Libertarian himself. Bolduc can subsequently be heard saying, “He hit me.” (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Dan Crenshaw Campaign Paid Firm That Employs His Wife)
WATCH:
“We saw this same libertarian party activist get aggressive with our campaign volunteers at this debate and the last,” Hassan’s communications director Kevin Donohoe said.
A YouTube compilation of different camera angles showing the incident does not appear to prove that Hart tried to punch Bolduc.
Bolduc led Hassan 47.0% to 45.7% among likely voters in an Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 Trafalgar Group-Daily Wire poll, with Libertarian candidate Jeremy Kaufman coming in at 4.0%. The poll’s margin of error was 2.9%.
Hart was released on personal recognizance bail ahead of a scheduled Dec. 1 arraignment, according to a press release the Goffstown Police Department sent the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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