By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
CONCORD – Flipping New Hampshire’s two chambers from Republican to Democrat is a top priority for the national Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee this cycle.
It is pouring more than $450,000, making it a $1 million investment into helping New Hampshire candidates in this cycle and are targeting 18 races, four of which are in the Senate.
Majorities could be decided by the slimmest of margins, the DLCC said, and they want it to come up blue, while Republican leadership in New Hampshire said the state is an easy target for out-of-state interests who don’t understand local politics.
House Minority Leader Matt Wilhelm, D-Manchester, said this is an extraordinary opportunity in an almost equally divided House to make gains in the Nov. 5 election and he talked about how a few votes can make all the difference.
In the whole country, the DLCC is backing 180 candidates and 10 percent of them are in the Granite State.
State Rep. Chuck Grassie, D-Rochester is among the 18 who were surprised to be getting money from the DLCC investment.
He said Wednesday he is worried about his re-election chances against Sam Farrington, a 20-year-old Republican who wants to defend liberty, lower costs and secure the border, according to his website for the Ward 4 seat.
Grassie called him the “shiny new object” getting all the attention.
Grassie, who sponsored bipartisan bills which passed this year on childcare access and landfills, said he wants to continue work on supporting public education, housing and homeless issues and water protection measures.
He’s raised $2,000 for this campaign which is just for Ward 4 in Rochester.
While Grassie has been worried, he said he recently saw a mailed flyer in support of him being circulated by the national Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee.
“I had no idea,” he said, noting the support means “a lot” though he has no idea how much money will be spent on his race by the DLCC.
Grassie is among candidates for four New Hampshire state Senate seats and 14 House seats and their races against Republicans which have been identified for extra financial help and political support by the national Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee.
The state and its paper thin Republican majority in the 400-member House is a national priority of the DLCC, its officials said this week in giving InDepthNH.org a first look at their list of candidates who are being supported.
The DLCC unveiled its “spotlight” Senate candidates today as:
– Democrat Stu Green of Andover who is running against incumbent Dan Innis of Bradford for Senate District 7.
– Democrat Matt McLaughlin of Bedford who is running to unseat Republican incumbent Denise Ricciardi of Bedford for Senate District 9.
– Incumbent state Sen. Shannon Chandley, D-Amherst, who is being challenged by Republican Tim McGough of Merrimack for Senate District 11.
– State Rep. Ben Ming, D-Hollis, who is currently serving as a Representative in Hillsborough District 35 but hoping to move to the upper chamber and unseat incumbent Kevin Avard of Nashua to represent Senate District 12.
On the House side, the DLCC is targeting 14 campaigns in the counties of Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham, Strafford and Sullivan. Nine are incumbents.
Its “spotlight” House candidates are:
FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
District 2. Incumbent Catherine Rombeau of Bedford, one of seven Democrats and eight Republicans vying for six seats.
District 12. Two incumbent candidates are getting help from the DLCC, Reps. Nancy Murphy and Wendy Thomas, both of Merrimack, who are vying among eight Democrats and eight Republicans for seven seats.
District 29. Incumbent Judi Lanza of Goffstown and Democrat Judy Johnson of Goffstown are among four Democrats and five Republicans vying for four seats.
District 30. Democrat Marjorie Porter of Hillsborough is being supported in a race with three Democrats and three Republicans for three seats.
District 42. Brian Paquette of New Boston is among three Democrats and three Republicans, including incumbent Keith Ammon hoping to take the three available seats in that district.
District 43. Scott Lawrence of Milford is being helped by the DLCC and is among four Republicans and four Democrats seeking the four seats.
FOR MERRIMACK COUNTY
District 1. Incumbent State Rep. Lorrie Carey, D-Boscawen is being helped in her race against Republican Rick Devoid of Boscawen for the single seat.
FOR ROCKINGHAM COUNTY
District 1. Incumbent State Rep. Hal Rafter, D-Nottingham will be aided by the DLCC in a race for three open seats which are being sought by four Democrats and three Republicans.
District 5. Incumbent state Rep. Mark Vallone, D-Epping is one of two Democrats and two Republicans seeking the two open seats.
FOR STRAFFORD COUNTY
District 4. Incumbent State Rep. Heath Howard, D-Strafford, has been chosen for assistance in a race with three Democrats and three Republicans for the three seats.
District 8. Rep. Chuck Grassie, D-Rochester is facing Republican Samuel Farrington of Rochester for the single seat.
FOR SULLIVAN COUNTY
District 8. Incumbent state Rep. Hope Damon, D-Croydon, will get DLCC assistance in her race which will seat two people.
All 400 House seats and 24 Senate seats are up for election next month and will be seated for a new session in January.
Christopher Ager, chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party, said out-of-state political interests are definitely out there who do not understand New Hampshire.
Asked to comment on the DLCC investment, he said Wednesday, “New Hampshire is the best state in the country to live in and that’s no accident – but it also makes us a target for out of state liberals who don’t understand or appreciate our way of life and only want to take power.
“Granite Staters know that Republicans deliver in Concord and keep the New Hampshire Advantage alive, while Joyce Craig and the New Hampshire Democrats want to ‘Mass up’ New Hampshire by increasing taxes, decreasing personal freedoms, and destroying the New Hampshire Advantage.”
Wilhelm sees it differently.
He said the past four years under Republican control have been “very challenging.”
Democrats are trying to bring people in their communities together and like their chances in the next 34 days “as we look to build on our progress we made in 2022.”
The DLCC money will be used to hire staff, build a digital presence and help get out the vote.
Wilhelm noted that over the summer, House Democrats have received over 4,900 donations of $50 or less.
“We are grateful for the investment,” he said both locally and nationally which can make the difference when every vote counts.
Wilhelm recalled in 2022 Democrats were just 11 votes short of securing a majority in the state House.
Rep. Grassie’s race in 2022 was among a number of close races.
In the first count, he lost by one vote 971-970 over his street neighbor and friend Republican David Walker only to have the recount come up to a tie.
It went to a special election where Grassie won 568-451.
While Walker is not running again, Grassie will face the young Farrington of Rochester, from a well-known farming family.
Farrington was not immediately available for comment but his website states his priorities are defending liberty, lowering costs, education opportunity and securing the borders.
“They haven’t spoken to me at all,” Grassie said of the DLCC, Wednesday, in advance of its announcement.
He said he believes his opponent may also have outside support from the Utah-based Libertas Institute https://libertas.org/#:~:text=Housing%20Issues%20on%20Display%20at%20Gubernatorial%20Debate.%20As%20the%20housing.
Currently, the Senate has a 14-10 Republican majority. The current breakdown in the House is that Republicans have 197 seats and Democrats have 191, with the rest being vacant or not of either party.
Democrats lost the House to Republicans in 2020 and though they made gains in 2022 the Republicans have held the majority by a very narrow margin.
DLCC Board Member and New Hampshire Senate Democratic Leader Donna Soucy, D-Manchester, said in a statement that the infusion of money from the DLCC comes at a good time.
“Democrats running in state legislative races in New Hampshire are on a mission to protect freedoms and lower costs, and we have an incredible slate of candidates who will deliver real change for Granite Staters. The Republican trifecta has prioritized an extreme agenda that seeks to roll back our rights, is out of step with our communities, and has no place in the ‘Live Free or Die’ state. Granite Staters are ready for a new era of Democratic leadership centered on creating economic opportunity and safeguarding our freedoms. In the final weeks of the election, Democrats are hard at work on the doors communicating in their districts about the stakes of this election. Breaking the Republican trifecta is within reach this November – it’s time to deliver leadership that is representative of the people of New Hampshire.”
Wilhelm noted that Republican Project 2025 Agenda https://www.project2025.org/ tied to former President Donald Trump’s candidacy is the playbook that could be used in Concord and noted majorities there could be the difference on issues ranging from abortion, defending public schools, gun safety and LGBTQ rights going forward in the Granite State.
“There is so much at stake at the state legislatures,” he said. “We talk a lot about Project 2025…and the playbook Republicans are pushing at the federal level but it is important to know that there are Republicans in the New Hampshire State House who have been part of…an advisory group that helped shape that agenda and I have real concerns about you know, Republicans in Concord implementing that playbook at the local level. We are talking about restricting access to abortion care, whether we are talking about defunding our public schools and establishing universal school vouchers, there are real policy impacts at risks which is why we are taking this seriously,” Wilhelm said.
Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee President Heather Williams issued a statement on the organization’s decision to focus on flipping the New Hampshire House and Senate.
“New Hampshire is one of the best opportunities for Democrats this year, and the DLCC is thrilled to support these 18 candidates and deliver $1 million this cycle to break the toxic GOP trifecta.
“GOP extremism in the Granite State has reached all-time highs this year, including some of the most extreme attacks on abortion access across the entire country. The DLCC is committed to breaking the GOP trifecta to put an end to Republicans’ crusade of attacks on fundamental freedoms and democracy. These Spotlight candidates have the experience, vision, and community roots to represent their districts and move their state forward.”
The DLCC is the official arm of the Democratic Party with the sole mission of building Democratic power in the states and setting the national agenda at the state level.
Over the last decade, it states it has fought cycle-over-cycle to gain a dozen new legislative chamber majorities and said it is leading the effort to bring national attention and investment to the ballot level.
“State legislatures are the building blocks of our democracy and have the closest connections to Americans’ day-to-day lives. From protecting fundamental freedoms and voting rights to growing the middle class, the DLCC and state legislators are moving the Democratic agenda forward and shaping the future of this country.
“These 18 candidates join over 180 state legislative candidates in our Spotlight program who are running across the country to build Democratic power and counter MAGA control of state legislatures,” a DLCC statement says.
New Hampshire currently has what the organization calls a “trifecta” meaning Republicans control the Executive Branch of government with the Governor’s seat, and majorities in the Senate and House.
“Breaking the GOP trifecta in New Hampshire is a top priority for the DLCC in 2024…Making gains in New Hampshire is critical to put an end to the extremism of the Republican-controlled legislature. Instead of a record of making progress on real challenges facing their constituents, New Hampshire Republicans have veered into new, far-right territory for the state, pushing a 15-day abortion ban, numerous attacks on LGBTQ+ rights, blocking gun safety measures, and even advocating for a first-in-the-nation proposal to loosen common-sense vaccine requirements that would threaten the health of their communities.”
