Candidate: Federal spending will be nation’s downfall

CONCORD – A fresh-faced candidate with a knack for fixing troubled companies decides to run for an office covering all of New Hampshire.

Seven years ago, that man was Democrat John Lynch.

Today, it’s U.S. Senate hopeful, Republican James Bender of Hollis.

In 2002, Lynch had little specific to say on the issues of the day but hammered home the theme that he was a fiscal conservative with a heart. That was enough to knock off sitting Republican Gov. Craig Benson.

As a fellow, first-time candidate, Bender has his own fixation, and it’s with the spending ways in Washington. Bender believes the deficit spending in Washington will be ruinous for the economic future and vows to take a zero-tolerance approach with the federal budget.

“Every part of the government has got to be cut and should be cut,” Bender, 56, said during a recent interview. “We have been vectoring off course for 50 years. We have to retrace our steps.”

Bender and Lynch are Harvard Business School graduates and they are less than a year apart in age. Several times Bender has come to Concord, he’s dropped in to say hello to the three-term, Democratic chief executive.

Bender is convinced that without a change in course, the United States will cease to be the dominant economic power. America will go the way of other, once-dominant forces such as the Roman and British empires, Bender predicts.

“If the United States were a business instead of a government, it would be in Chapter 11 bankruptcy right now,” Bender said. “Our debt is six times what our annual business is right now. That’s simply staggering.”

Bender has a ready answer for those who question if he’s willing to make the time and financial commitment to compete in the GOP primary that already includes better-known and personally wealthier opponents.

“I’ve thrown my hat and coat over the wall,” Bender said. “I am a candidate and will stay one.” The oldest of six children, Bender grew up in Concord, Mass.

He had his early sights set on a career in the Navy until he flunked his physical because he was colorblind.

“I couldn’t distinguish between red and green, and that was it,” Bender recalled.

Bender enrolled at the Lowell Technical Institute and took some pride in helping to mold the campus into more of a community with such events as big name concerts.

“Aerosmith, Jethro Tull, Judy Collins, Frank Zappa, they all played there at Costello Gymnasium,” Bender said.

“We only paid the groups about $3,000 apiece but we sold it as a way for them to earn extra money in between their events at Boston Garden or the Orpheum.”

Right after graduation, Bender became the fourth and final partner in a personal computer peripheral business known as Idea Associates.

“We grew to be a $25 million company with 250 employees selling in 24 different countries. I was always on the road,” Bender said.

The firm was sold in December 1985. With some of the proceeds, Bender bought Logic Craft of Nashua and helped rebuild that computer network service firm, settling to live with his wife in Hollis. The couple has two grown daughters.

After selling that firm, Bender then went to run Aware Inc. in Billerica, Mass.

“I love the job of turning around companies or seeing them grow from the early stages to a more mature and successful business,” Bender said.

“There is an energy and an excitement that I really love.”

Bender rented space for the company on Cotton Road from former Republican State Chairman John Stabile. He remembers holding Friday-afternoon cookouts with hot dogs, hamburgers and a keg of beer for employees.

“We would just try to make it fun because in any business I think that’s very important,” Bender said.

For the past decade, Bender was an angel investor and served on several companies’ board of directors. He resigned all those board positions upon deciding to run for the Senate.

On social matters, Bender said he supports abortion rights (‘it’s not the government’s business,” he says), opposes same-sex marriage and would vote in support of gun-owner rights.

“I’m torn on the death penalty,” Bender admits.

For his part, Bender believes corruption cases in Washington have poisoned the public’s attitude towards Congress and he would personally press for a nationwide referendum on term limits.

Kevin Landrigan can be reached at 321-7040 or klandrigan@nashuatelegraph.com.