Ayotte, Hassan spar over Clinton’s FBI email review at NH Senate debate

New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R) and Gov. Maggie Hassan (D) on Wednesday night clashed over the FBI’s decision to review new emails that may be “pertinent” to the investigation of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s private email server.

{mosads}In the final debate of the critical Senate race, the questions quickly pivoted to the top of the ticket as both candidates sought to create some distance from their respective parties’ standard-bearers.

It’s the first time the FBI’s email review has been addressed during the Granite State debates since the news broke last Friday. One of the debate panelists asked Hassan, who’s been a strong supporter of Clinton, if she still believes Americans can trust the former secretary of State.

Hassan said FBI Director James Comey still needs to provide more information about the new review and reiterated that she has called Clinton’s use of a private server while at the State Department a “mistake.” But Hassan sidestepped the direct question about whether she can still call Clinton trustworthy.

“This is an issue that has been investigated exhaustively,” Hassan said. “Secretary Clinton has said she made a mistake … and she has appropriately apologized for it.”

“This race for Senate is how we’re going to come together and continue the kind of work we’ve made at home in New Hampshire, building a stronger more innovative state,” she continued. “I support Secretary Clinton because she shares that vision and has a record of delivering on it.”

This isn’t the first time Hassan has been confronted about Clinton’s honesty. In August, Hassan stumbled over whether she believes Clinton is trustworthy and dodged the question several times in an interview. But in a later interview, she clarified to say she believes Clinton is honest.

And during the debates, including Wednesday night’s, Hassan sought to show some daylight between her and Clinton. The governor said she doesn’t support President Obama’s proposal to shut down the Guantanamo Bay detention facility.

When the moderators turned the questioning to Ayotte and asked why she had not previously rescinded her support for GOP nominee Donald Trump over his past rhetoric, she used the example as a way to draw contrasts with Hassan.

“I’ve actually taken the action of saying I’m not going to be voting for our nominee because I’m concerned about the actions he has talked about in tapes,” Ayotte said, referring to her decision to withdraw her support from Trump following the publication of 2005 a tape revealing Trump bragging about groping and kissing women without consent.

Ayotte called Clinton’s private email setup “egregious,” saying it could have compromised the country’s national security. The GOP senator also blasted Hassan for only labeling the server a “mistake.”

“If she can’t call her out on this private email server, when is she ever going to call her out?” Ayotte said.

Ayotte has also previously been tripped up on questions about her party’s presidential nominee. At one of the first Senate debates, she called Trump a “role model” for children before quickly walking it back to say she “misspoke.” And before she officially cut ties with the real estate mogul, Ayotte repeatedly said she supports but doesn’t endorse Trump.

The presidential race has loomed large over down-ballot races, and the Granite State race will likely hinge on it.

Clinton has held a steady lead in New Hampshire, up by nearly 5 points according to RealClearPolitics polling average. But Ayotte has clung to a more narrow margin, ahead by almost 2 points.