Republican congressional candidate Robert Clegg of Hudson accepted an invitation to speak today to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, MN at a conference on obesity.

    Clegg lost more than 100 pounds after having weight-loss surgery in Boston a year ago and convinced the Legislature this spring to mandate health insurance companies cover the procedure.

     Clegg’s favorite presidential candidate, ex-AK Gov. Mike Huckabee [-] is also taking part in the conference.

     Prior to the invite, Clegg said he wasn’t going to the convention since it would interfere with run-up campaigning to next Tuesday’s primary. 

    GOP opponent Grant Bosse of Hillsboro lobbied against Clegg’s bill and issued a statement today attacking it as Gov. “John Lynch’s legislation” even though the Democratic governor refused to sign the bill and had let it become law without his signature.

    “I’m thrilled that Bob had bariatric surgery.  It probably saved his life.  But just because it was right for Bob Clegg doesn’t mean government should mandate it for the rest of us,” Bosse said

     ““We can’t afford Bob Clegg’s big government health care plan, in New Hampshire or in Congress.”

     In other news, the Concord Monitor endorsed Bosse’s candidacy on Sunday.

     The four best-known hopefuls in the Second District [-] ex-Nashua talk show host Jennifer Horn, Concord lawyer James Steiner, Clegg and Boss [-] will take part in the only televised primary debate Thursday night on WMUR-TV at 9 p.m.  The fifth candidate, retired engineer Alfred L’Eplattenier of Rindge [-] was not invited.

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