Dems Slam GOP Senator for 'Offensive' Tweet

State Sen. Andy Sanborn (R-Bedford) said a Twitter remark he made about Gov. Maggie Hassan this week was "a typo, plain and simple," and accused Democrats of blowing the situation out of proportion.

The New Hampshire Democratic Party issued a press release Thursday afternoon criticizing Sanborn for referring to Hassan as "Haggie" in a tweet earlier this week. The tweet has since been deleted.

"This sounds to me like they're trying to make a whole lot out of nothing," Sanborn said on Thursday. "It was a typo, plain and simple. Virtually the instant I saw it, I recognized the mistake and apologized not once but twice.

"I don't know what more they want from me at this point," Sanborn added. "For a party that preaches tolerance, they're certainly showing very little of it."

But Harrell Kirstein, the NHDP's communications director, said Sanborn's apologies don't ring true. He said Sanborn only apologized after he was called out for his "offensive and sexist comment.

"Sanborn's pathetic excuses and phony apology for his offensive comment would be more believable if his story didn't keep changing..." Kirstein said. "New Hampshire Republicans continue to embarrass themselves with the same offensive Tea Party rhetoric that voters rejected last fall."

The New Hampshire Republican Party also issued a statement Thursday defending Sanborn and criticizing the NHDP.

"Maggie Hassan's minions are feigning outrage over a typo because they are trying to distract from the embarrassing defeat of her irresponsible budget proposal in the Democrat-controlled New Hampshire House," NHGOP Chairman Jennifer Horn said in the statement. "She is desperate to draw attention away from her failed fiscal leadership and lack of any new ideas to balance the state's books."