NASHUA – Candidates for governor, U.S. Congress and state Senate gathered for a candidates’ forum yesterday at Temple Beth Abraham.

Participating were Gov. John Lynch, Republican candidate for governor Jim Coburn, Libertarian candidate for governor Richard Kahn, Republican Congressman Charlie Bass, Democratic congressional candidate Paul Hodes, Democratic state Sen. Joe Foster, District 13, and Republican state Senate candidate Dennis Hogan, District 13. The event was organized by the Southern New Hampshire Jewish Men’s Club.

Lynch highlighted some of his accomplishments while in office, such as the passage of the Child Protection Act and the successful fight to prevent the closure of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard through bipartisan efforts.

“That’s what leadership is all about,” Lynch said, “getting people together and getting results.

Targeted state aid, which had strong bipartisan support in the past, is the best solution for the state’s education funding problem, Lynch said.

Coburn said education funding is the most important issue.

“We need a strong leader who will stand up against the courts,” Coburn said.

Coburn also wants to improve the quality of public education.

“We have to make sure students are taught the proper subjects for wherever they want to go,” he said.

The state must promote itself as a destination for businesses and families as part of an effort to keep the state prosperous, Coburn said. A favorable tax environment and an educated work force would help increase state revenue, he said.

Eminent-domain abuse, health-care costs and education funding are the top issues Kahn is focused on, he said.

Kahn said he would like to see industry competition keep health-care costs down.

Bass and Hodes sparred over the war in Iraq and the nuclear ambitions of Iran and North Korea, among other issues.

During his address, Hodes criticized an administration that has “taken us down the wrong path in foreign policy” and a Congress “characterized with arrogance and corruption.”

Bass said he was proud of his work in office and defended the administration’s choices involving Iraq. If Jihadist fundamentalists were to take over the government of Iraq, they would also spread their policies to other countries, he said.

Foster said he prides himself on being able to work with Democrats and Republicans. As one of eight Democrats in the state Senate, he said, he often has reached out for Republican support to get legislation passed.

Hogan said he would work to curb illegal immigration and increase voter identification if elected.

Both state Senate candidates said they thought education funding could be done without a sales or income tax.

Foster and Hogan also said they were opposed to bringing casino gambling to the state because social problems it would create would far outweigh revenues.