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Concord, N.H. – Today, a group of local leaders from the Western part of New Hampshire joined a press call to discuss how Donald Trump and Chris Sununu’s failed response to COVID-19 has hurt Granite Staters in long-term care. Read excerpts from today’s press conference call: New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley: “For months, Trump ignored warnings, downplayed the severity of this crisis, and failed to prepare, allowing the coronavirus to spread rapidly and undetected. Now, even though the cases of COVID-19 are surging nationally, Trump has directed his administration to slow coronavirus testing in the United States. Meanwhile, Chris Sununu put Granite Staters at risk by parroting Trump’s disinformation on COVID-19 and refusing to act quickly to issue a state of emergency and stay-at-home order. Both Trump and Sununu utterly failed Granite Staters, and have hurt our seniors in long-term care who are paying the price.” State Senator Martha Hennessey: “Though the impacts of COVID-19 have varied in quantity throughout the state as we know, the impacts are still felt no matter where you are. In the Western part of New Hampshire, we are reeling from the impacts of COVID-19 in our communities, and we can trace the severity of this crisis back to Donald Trump and his chaotic, unprepared, and failed response which has actively made the coronavirus outbreak worse for our seniors in long-term care. Of course, one Granite Stater dying due to COVID-19 is one too many, and it’s a reflection of Donald Trump and Chris Sununu’s failed response to the pandemic.” State Representative Joe Schapiro: “The governor’s initial delay in issuing stay-at-home orders and his reluctance to fully endorse the wearing of masks weakened our response. And his refusal to work with the Joint Fiscal Committee in accepting and expending federal CARES funds created a partisan divide when there could have been a unified effort. Unfortunately, New Hampshire now finds itself with the highest percentage of COVID-19 fatalities occurring in long-term care facilities in the country.” Deb Bacon Nelson, chair of the Hanover/Lyme Democrats: “Sununu's failed and chaotic mismanagement of the COVID-19 crisis has resulted in staggering deaths of our seniors in long-term care facilities and has devastated the state's economy. Granite Staters deserve better. We know that if it weren’t for the failed response of Donald Trump and Chris Sununu, many of our seniors in long-term care might still be with us today. It didn’t have to be this bad, and voters will remember that on November 3rd."
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