MANCHESTER – State Senate President Ted Gatsas, R-Manchester, reiterated his opposition to a statewide smoking ban in restaurants and bars yesterday, while Bob Backus, his Democratic opponent for the District 16 seat, said he would approve of such a ban.

It was just one of several matters the candidates debated yesterday at a forum at Temple Adath Yeshurun, on Prospect Street.

"On the smoking issue, I'm a great believer that businesses make the right decisions," said Gatsas, who noted that in New York, the city is considering whether to ban artificial trans fats in its restaurants. "Pretty soon, they're going to tell us we can't eat ice cream."

"Eating ice cream, whatever the benefit or the lack of it, doesn't endanger the person sitting next to you in a restaurant. Secondhand smoke does," Backus responded.

Gatsas voted against a ban this year; all the Democrats in the Senate voted for it.

The candidates also sparred over the federal Real ID driver's license program, for which New Hampshire is a pilot state.

Backus opposed Real ID, cautioning about the potential for identity theft associated with the program, which will require driver's licenses to meet federal standards and have more information than they do now. Gatsas defended the program, which he said came out of recommendations from the federal 9/11 commission.

"There's no question Real ID makes sense," Gatsas said.

-- Benjamin Kepple