WMUR News 9 in partnership with the New Hampshire Institute of Politics (NHIOP) at Saint Anselm College, hosted the Granite State Debates from November 1-4. The debates featured candidates from U.S. Senate, Congress, and Governor.
On Tuesday, November 1, 2022, I worked the Governor’s debate. Starting at 3 p.m., I was a stand-in with fellow ambassador Julia Matte ’24. The job was important but a fun experience. I took the place of Democratic candidate Senator Dr. Tom Sherman, and Julia was Governor Chris Sununu.
During the stand-in, WMUR Political Director Adam Sexton and fellow journalists, rehearsed as if it was live. The two journalists asked Julia and I questions to debate so the tech crew could work on lighting and camera angles. It was fun being asked questions about serving healthy options on Halloween, our favorite costumes, and if the Christmas season starts November 1 or after Thanksgiving.
At 6 p.m., I received my assignment that I would be Governor Sununu’s candidate handler along with senior ambassador Patrick Marcoux ’23. We were given strict rules to not “lose” the Governor. Everywhere he went we had to follow.
When he arrived, we lead him to his green room and were invited in by his team. We were able to observe Sununu getting his hair and makeup done while being prepped by his communications team. It was interesting to hear his team strategize how to approach the debate.
Once we escorted Sununu onto the set, I was invited to view the debate in the corner along with a few other students. The view behind the scenes of live TV was a great experience. We had a full view of the two candidates debating, the journalists, and the camera crew making sure everything went smoothly.
When the debate finished, I escorted Sununu back to the green room and finished the night around 10 p.m. It was a great experience to have as an NHIOP ambassador and a student at Saint Anselm College. As election day approaches, being involved in these political debates are a unique opportunity you can only receive at the college.