This weekend, New Hampshire state Rep. Al Baldasaro (R) — one of Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s (R) newest endorsers — said that he approved of the booing of a gay soldier during a recent presidential debate. “I thought it was great,” Baldasaro told ThinkProgress’ Scott Keyes, adding, “I was so disgusted over that gay marine coming out.” Baldasaro warned the soldier — Stephen Hill — that straight servicemembers will “start getting away from him…. when the shit hits the fan” and will be “looking at your back” instead of “covering your back.”
Asked to clarify his comments for the Union Leader, Baldasaro doubled down. He said that Hill “had no business being there” and should not have come “out of the closet on national TV.” Today, Baldasaro’s Democratic opponent, Jeff Ballard, took issue with the statements and has issued a press release condemning the remarks and calling on the state representative to apologize and resign:
As a veteran and a New Hampshire citizen, I found his applauding the booing of an Iraq War Veteran appalling. Rep. Baldasaro may have freedom of speech, but it exists because Stephen Hill, the veteran he called a ‘disgrace,’ risked his own life to protect it. [...]
“Republican House Speaker Bill O’Brien should immediately call for him to resign and remove him as Chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee in the State House. Rep. Baldasaro is clearly incapable of being an advocate for all veterans. Republican State Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley should also call on Rep. Baldasaro to resign; he should make clear that this kind of language is not the official position of New Hampshire Republican Party.”
While several Republican presidential candidates have condemned the debate audience’s reaction to the gay soldier, the Perry campaign has not yet comment on it or distance itself from Baldasaro’s remarks
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