STODDARD — Democratic candidates for governor Jackie Cilley and Bill Kennedy met with a friendly crowd at a Stoddard Democrats event at Lakefalls Lodge on Saturday afternoon to speak about the issues in the race and eat a bit of blueberry cobbler.

The absence of fellow gubernatorial candidate Maggie Hassan was duly noted by the other candidates, members of the Stoddard Democrats and other attendees, who said her snub didn't reflect well on her.

Richard Whitney, chairman of the Stoddard Democrats, said Hassan was lured away by the arrival of President Barack Obama in the Granite State this weekend for a recently announced campaign stop.

Even though Hassan had promised to attend the Stoddard event two months ago, she backed out at the last minute, he said.

“Keep that in mind when you go to the voting booth,” Whitney said. “Her fate has been sealed today. … I'm going to rub it in. I'm very upset. We took months planning this, and is that the kind of governor you want?”

When Cilley addressed the crowd, she was quick to point out that she, too, had been invited to appear with Obama, but she turned down the invitation.

“I said, 'I love the man, he doesn't vote here, you all do,'” Cilley said, garnering applause from the crowd and Kennedy.

Kennedy said he joined the race late because he was “disheartened and dismayed” by what was taking place in the state Legislature.

“We need to make sure the far right doesn't get in again,” he said, adding he has an extensive background in the military. “I've seen throughout the world what radical ideologies can do.”

Kennedy said he embraces “middle-of-the-road Republicans” and believes in fiscal responsibility, but not the deep cuts the current Legislature has enacted at the state level.

Cilley and Kennedy said they agreed on most issues.

“Jackie and me agree on 80 percent of the issues, pro-choice, gay marriage” Kennedy said. “Neither Jackie or I have taken the pledge. One person in the party has taken the pledge, and that person is not here,” Kennedy said, alluding to Hassan.

Kennedy said the weight of state revenue has to be taken off of the property owners and should be fair and equitable.

People are being “bled to death by property taxes,” Kennedy said, adding he opposes the expansion of gambling as a solution.

Cilley said politicians need to stop being afraid to solve problems.

“I'm not afraid to think outside the box,” Cilley said.

Young couples want to move to the state, but can't afford the property taxes to be homeowners, she said.

“We see seniors being shuffled out of their homes because the property tax has become too much for them. We're wed to old ideas, and we refuse to make the investments necessary to revitalize this economy. Businesses are telling us they don't want to come here anymore,” Cilley said.

Kennedy said he knows Hassan is the “institutional pick,” but he and Cilley can come out on top by continuing to address the important issues.

“I know we are going to be lifelong friends when this is done,” Kennedy said of himself and Cilley.

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Meghan Pierce may be reached at mpierce@newstote.com.