Senator’s Gibe at Woman Candidate Stirs N.H. Row

Republican Sen. Gordon J. Humphrey has triggered a controversy in a GOP congressional race by saying that a woman candidate should not be running because she has two small children.

About two dozen supporters of Republican Betty Tamposi denounced Humphrey outside the Statehouse on Wednesday and characterized his remarks, made in an interview in the Union Leader of Manchester, as silly, insulting and irresponsible.

Tamposi, a millionaire officer in her father’s real estate company, is married and has two daughters, ages 22 months and 4. They are cared for by a nanny.

State Sen. George Freese said Humphrey “should be apologizing to Betty Tamposi for such remarks. They are below-the-belt comments and a personal attack on Betty’s credibility and excellent reputation.”

“I don’t retract a word of it,” Humphrey said. “It’s self-evident that you cannot work 12 to 14 hours a day in Congress and have time left over for a child.”

“It’s difficult enough being a father of a young child and a member of Congress, as I am,” said Humphrey, who has a 3-year-old son. “For the mother, who in our society is the primary care giver, working 10-12 hours a day makes it impossible to give the nurturing the child would need.”

Chuck Douglas, Tamposi’s chief rival in the race among six candidates seeking the Republican nomination for the seat being vacated by GOP Rep. Judd Gregg, denied having anything to do with Humphrey’s comments and defended Tamposi’s candidacy.

However, Douglas said, Humphrey “is entitled to his opinion.”