|
State Offices
In a full slate of races for state offices, Gov. John Lynch, a Democrat, faces Republican John Stephen. Libertarian John Babiarz is also running. There are also races for the two Executive Council seats in the region, and for all the region's state Senate and state Legislature seats.
The Telegraph has established an Online Voter Guide that readers in the area can use to find out information about all the candidates running. You can access that voter guide from this page by clicking the button below.
Just-elected GOP rep charged with DWI
By KATHY CLEVELAND and KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writers | Wednesday, November 10, 2010
MILFORD – Newly elected state Rep. Stephen Stepanek was charged with driving while intoxicated early Sunday morning in Milford. Stepanek, who lives in Amherst, was …
Let the recounts for contested area races be delayed
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writer | Tuesday, November 9, 2010
CONCORD – Secretary of State Bill Gardner’s decision to get close elections in large voting districts out of the way first has put off all …
Model for success all up to the GOP
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writer | Sunday, November 7, 2010
CONCORD – Now that Republicans are in the super majority in the Legislature as result of landslide victories in Tuesday’s elections, how do they keep …
After the election, political losers deal with facing reality
By ALBERT McKEON Staff Writer | Sunday, November 7, 2010
Debora Pignatelli had to compose an e-mail message unlike any other she had written before. The Nashua resident sat down in the quiet of her …
Five recounts for Nashua area seats
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writer | Saturday, November 6, 2010
CONCORD – Four close races for House seats in Nashua were among 21 recounts filed by the Friday night deadline with Secretary of State Bill …
KEVIN LANDRIGAN Telegraph Staff CONCORD [-] On a basic level, Gov. John Lynch must feel like a man without a party. This 57-year-old, Hopkinton business consultant was the first in history to win a fourth term but there were few, fellow Democratic winners left to celebrate that milestone with at the State House Wednesday. Four years ago, Lynch walked in as a re-elected governor to Democrats owning both branches of the Legislature and the Executive Council for the first time since Reconstruction following the Civil War. On Wednesday, Lynch returned to Republicans holding collectively their biggest super majority in nearly a half century. If they all show up and stick together, Republicans in the House of Representatives (298 of 400) and the State Senate (19 of 24) have a quorum they can do business with no Democrats present and they can override any Lynch veto. With Dunkin’ Donuts coffee in hand, an unflappable Lynch showed up after only a few hours of sleep, eager to meet a class of fourth graders from Merrimack gathered outside his office. ``We’ll work to find common ground and together tackle the challenges we face as a state with the top priority helping everyone who wants a job to find one in this great state of ours,’’ Lynch said during an interview. ` ``I think I’ve shown over four years that I can work with people that have good ideas regardless of party.’’ Lynch survived the Republican riptide with 52.6 percent of the vote to 45 percent for Republican John Stephen of Manchester. The official vote totals were: [-] Lynch: 240,346; [-] Stephen: 205,626; [-] Libertarian John Babiarz: 10,089: Another 665 or two-tenths of 1 percent wrote in someone else’s name. Unofficially, the race confirms the turnout exceeded Secretary of State Bill Gardner’s estimate and will break the mid-term election record set in 2002. In the last Republican rout election here eight years ago, 453,078 cast ballots., On Tuesday, an even greater number [-] 456,726 [-] voted in the race for governor. The House GOP dominance surpassed the 297 Republicans elected in 1984 with a landslide, re-election for President Ronald Reagan. The last time Republicans had a 19-5 majority in the State Senate was after the mid-term elections of 1962. All five voters picked to serve on the Executive Council were Republicans ending four years of Lynch working with a 3-2 Democratic body. . ``This is just unbelievable. We just kept following the results and got one big victory after another, exceeding everyone’s expectations,’’ said GOP Communications Director Ryan Williams. Losing candidate Stephen’s relentless assault against increases in total spending, and fees under Lynch helped create the climate for GOP candidates down ballot to win their elections,’’ Williams maintained. Democratic State Party Chairman Raymond Buckley called Lynch’s victory ``remarkable and well-deserved.’’ His party would bounce back in future elections as Democrats did after washout defeats in 1994 and 2002, Buckley added. ``This was just one of those wave elections. We were on the losing end this time but we’ll recover as we have before and come back even stronger in 2012,’’ Buckley told New Hampshire Public Radio’s ``The Exchange with Laura Knoy.’’ The contests for legislative leaders heated up Wednesday as veteran Republicans jockeyed to replace deposed, Senate President Sylvia Larsen, D-Concord, an d House Speaker Terie Norelli, D-Portsmouth. The official decision won’t come until the Legislature holds its Organization Day Dec. 1. But later today the newly-elected Senate Republicans will privately caucus and are expected to nominate Senate Republican Leader Peter Bragdon of Milford as the next Senate president. ``I take nothing for granted but success is always a good thing to fall back on and after a lot of hard work by a great team, we had some great accomplishments on Tuesday,’’ said Bragdon, 47. After meeting privately with Lynch Wednesday, Bragdon, elected to his own fourth term, is hopeful they can compromise on how to erase at least a $600 million shortfall in the next two-year state budget period that starts July 1. ``I would prefer that we work together. The people elected the governor and us,’’ Bragdon said. ``This is the first time I’ll be involved in a legislative branch so big it could have an automatic override so who knows?’’ House Republicans will nominate their choice for speaker on Nov. 18. The awesome size of the GOP bloc improves the upset chances of Mont Vernon Republican Rep. Bill O’Brien, elected his third term. Until the election results came in, the early favorite was former House Speaker Gene Chandler of Bartlett who soon begins his 15th term. Chandler ran the House GOP political action committee that sent campaign checks to candidates, worked to rehabilitate himself from a six-year-old scandal over unreported cash gifts and had strong backing among the House’s most experienced Republicans. Meanwhile, O’Brien spent months meeting one on one with the new class of House Republicans-elect members, more than 165 in strength. ``I think we are going to have a leadership in the House and a Republican caucus that pays attention to issues that have always been of concern to the Republicans at the grass roots, attention to our Constitution, adherence to the party platform and fiscal responsibility,’’ O’Brien said. Chandler remains optimistic at getting the gavel back. ``I’ve still got a lot of work to do but I’ve talked to many of those who have gotten elected and believe I can lead a House that’s focused first on the economy, the state budget and getting spending under control,’’ said Chandler, 63. The other GOP candidates for speaker are Deerfield Rep. John Reagan, 64, and Rindge Rep. Susan Emerson who begins her fifth term. The conservative, House Republican Alliance agenda calls for a host of socially-conservative issues such as repealing the same-sex marriage law, parental notification before a minor girl has an abortion and less restrictive permits to carry concealed weapons. ``The Democrats lost the majority because the last four years they took their eye off state finances and got distracted by social issues. I hope that doesn’t happen to us,’’ Chandler warned. O’Brien agreed jobs and the state budget must be the top focus next year but the House should over the two-year term tackle pressing social matter as well. University of New Hampshire Survey Center Director Andrew Smith said for their own, future election security those leading the Republican super-majority would be well served concentrating on pocketbook issues. ``This election wasn’t a ringing endorsement for all the Republican candidates, it was enough voters saying they didn’t like what they were seeing in Washington and to a lesser extent in Concord,’’ Smith said ``They should not forget Republican voters in this state are fiscally conservative but socially moderate or socially liberal. They don’t like to talk about it for the most part.’’ Kevin Landrigan can be reached at 321-7040 or klandrigan@nashuatelegraph.com.
Not same old NH House Lynch recalls from 2006
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writer | Thursday, November 4, 2010
CONCORD – On a basic level, Gov. John Lynch must feel like a man without a party. This 57-year-old Hopkinton business consultant was the first …
Women boost Lynch to victory
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
CONCORD (AP) – Preliminary results from exit polls for The Associated Press show Democratic Gov. John Lynch won an unprecedented fourth term with help from …
Gov wins chance to vie with GOP
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writer | Wednesday, November 3, 2010
MANCHESTER – Gov. John Lynch survived to win a historic fourth term Tuesday night, needing both his reservoir of goodwill as a likeable chief executive …
Tighter at finish, race for governor a historic one
By MICHAEL BRINDLEY Staff Writer | Wednesday, November 3, 2010
MANCHESTER – In the tightest race he has faced since being elected governor six years ago, Democrat John Lynch prevailed over his Republican challenger John …
Sen. Lasky: Husband sorry for taking signs, not for defending her
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN and ALBERT McKEON Staff Writers | Tuesday, November 2, 2010
NASHUA – The sign wars that inevitably get more bitter as an election approaches got personal in the competitive state Senate District 13 race. It …
Obama makes call, hoping NH voters make call for Dems
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writer | Tuesday, November 2, 2010
CONCORD – President Barack Obama tried on the eve of today’s election to infuse late momentum into Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Paul Hodes’ campaign and …
Pasta, extra helping of last-minute plugs whet GOP appetites
By ALBERT McKEON Staff Writer | Tuesday, November 2, 2010
NASHUA – It would be easy to assume the pasta dinners symbolized the fiscal austerity that Republican candidates promise to bring to government. But a …
Lynch loans campaign $350K for Boston TV ads
By NORMA LOVE The Associated Press | Saturday, October 30, 2010
CONCORD – Democratic Gov. John Lynch has loaned his campaign another $350,000 to pay for ads on Boston TV stations in the final days of …
Debate last chance for governor candidates to make case to NH
By CAMERON KITTLE Staff Writer | Thursday, October 28, 2010
MANCHESTER – Gov. John Lynch and Republican challenger John Stephen talked taxes, broke down the budget and landed their last punches in the final gubernatorial …
Which man as gov better for business?
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writer | Wednesday, October 27, 2010
CONCORD – New Hampshire has become less business friendly because of higher taxes and fees along with “tons of new regulations” under Gov. John Lynch, …
Lynch gets Clinton help on Sunday
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writer | Wednesday, October 27, 2010
CONCORD – Former President Bill Clinton will hold a campaign rally for Gov. John Lynch at Nashua Community College on Sunday afternoon. Recent polls show …
Bill Clinton to campaign in Nashua for Gov. Lynch
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Former President Bill Clinton will hold a campaign rally for Gov. John Lynch at Nashua Community College on Sunday, The Telegraph has confirmed. Recent polls …
2 in area race know history
By Albert McKeon Staff Writer | Tuesday, October 26, 2010
The state Senate race for District 14, which includes Hudson, pits the Republican incumbent against a Democratic newcomer who faces a daunting historical precedent. Republican …
Lynch: Stephen chose deadbeat dad for job
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writer | Friday, October 22, 2010
CONCORD – Gov. John Lynch’s campaign unleashed what may be its toughest attack ad yet, seizing on a 2006 controversy in which Republican nominee for …
DeVries, DeBlois vie for Dist. 18 seat
By CAMERON KITTLE Staff Writer | Friday, October 22, 2010
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is another in a series of election preview stories on state and local races. Betsi DeVries and Tom DeBlois are opposing candidates …
Bragdon, Tilton are District 11 foes
By KATHY CLEVELAND Staff Writer | Wednesday, October 20, 2010
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the latest in a series of stories examining the candidates running for major offices in the Nov. 2 general election. For …
Senate District 9 candidates offer voters contrast
By MICHAEL BRINDLEY Staff Writer | Monday, October 18, 2010
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the next in a series of stories examining the candidates running for major office in the Nov. 2 general election. For …
Challenger hopes to reclaim his Council seat Politics | Executive Council incumbent to face off against GOP candidate.
By JAKE BERRY Staff Writer | Friday, October 15, 2010
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is another in a series of election preview stories on state and local races. The names on the Executive Council ballot may …
Stephen giving Lynch stiff challenge
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writer | Sunday, October 10, 2010
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first in a series of stories examining the candidates running for major office in the Nov. 2 general election. For …
GOP pushing hard to regain NH throne
By DAVID BROOKS Staff Writer | Sunday, October 10, 2010
When you get down to it, elections are a numbers game, and here’s a number that has state Republicans excited: 27. That’s the number of …
AG rules $7k donations OK
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writer | Friday, October 8, 2010
CONCORD – Republican nominee for governor John Stephen can keep donations in excess of a $6,000 limit because state election officials advised him it was …
Election night all in the timing
By JAKE BERRY and ALBERT McKEON Staff Writers | Sunday, September 19, 2010
Not long before 1 a.m. Wednesday, Congressional candidate Rich Ashooh ducked quietly into a private office to avoid the crowds buzzing through his Bedford headquarters. …
‘Robust’ turnout for primary
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writer | Saturday, September 18, 2010
CONCORD – The turnout of 201,992 voters Tuesday dipped below expectations but was the second-largest number ever to cast ballots in a state primary, Secretary …
GOP gathers in hopes to unify
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writer | Friday, September 17, 2010
MANCHESTER – Major Republican nominees and State Chairman John H. Sununu served plenty of red meat remarks about their Democratic opponents at a GOP unity …
Lynch, Stephen win big, face off in governor race
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writer | Wednesday, September 15, 2010
MANCHESTER – Gov. John Lynch, of Hopkinton, cruised half-way to a record fourth term, and Republicans gave John Stephen, of Manchester, an overwhelming victory in …
Top GOP vote-getter not set to claim win
By PAT MEIGHAN Staff Writer | Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Even though three of four towns in state Senate District 12 hadn’t finished tallying votes late Tuesday, one candidate in the Republican primary was ready …
White District 9 winner for GOP
By MICHAEL BRINDLEY Staff Writer | Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Political newcomer Raymond White defeated David Danielson on Tuesday for the Republican nomination in the race for the District 9 state Senate seat. “It’s very …
5 debaters pushing for 1 House seat
By ALBERT McKEON Staff Writer | Thursday, September 9, 2010
GOFFSTOWN – It’s not often Republicans fight among themselves in a public forum, and then, minutes later, Democrats go at one another on that same …
Lynch tops Dem hopefuls as he runs for 4th term
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writer | Sunday, September 5, 2010
What would happen if there was a Democratic primary race for governor and nobody took any notice of it? Odds are Gov. John Lynch will …
Stephen only GOP to raise $1m and who claim lots of state government experience
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writer | Sunday, September 5, 2010
The Republican primary race for governor has been all about trying to turn the state’s sluggish economy and the tax and spending practices of the …
Bender says Congress erred on bank bill
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writer | Tuesday, August 31, 2010
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is another in an occasional series of stories based on meetings between The Telegraph editorial board and candidates for federal and state …
Similarities abound between Dist. 9’s Danielson, White
By MICHAEL BRINDLEY Staff Writer | Sunday, August 29, 2010
Considering it’s the most Republican of New Hampshire’s 24 Senate districts, it may not be a stretch to say that David Danielson and Raymond White, …
Local men seek district Senate seats
By PATRICK MEIGHAN Staff Writer | Sunday, August 29, 2010
The Republican primary for state senator in District 12 pits John Lewicke, a semiretired electrical engineer from Mason, against Jim Luther, a part-time pastor and …
Testerman wants to strengthen economy
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writer | Friday, August 27, 2010
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is another in an occasional series of stories based on meetings between The Telegraph editorial board and candidates for federal and state …
Stephen looks to cut spending, create jobs
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writer | Wednesday, August 25, 2010
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is another in an occasional series of stories based on meetings between The Telegraph editorial board and candidates for federal and state …
In Their Own Words
Kimball: Reduce tax burden of small business
By JACK KIMBALL | Saturday, August 7, 2010
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is another in an occasional series of op-ed pieces by candidates for governor and Congress. The Telegraph extended this invitation to those …
GOP’s Kimball would cut as governor
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writer | Thursday, July 29, 2010
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is another in an occasional series of stories based on meetings between The Telegraph editorial board and candidates for federal and state …
GOP governor candidate Emiro cites experience
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writer | Wednesday, July 28, 2010
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is another in an occasional series of stories based on meetings between The Telegraph editorial board and candidates for federal and state …
Dem says he, Lynch differ over gambling
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writer | Friday, July 2, 2010
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second in an occasional series of stories based on meetings between The Telegraph editorial board and candidates for federal and …
Dem who grew up GOP targets Lynch
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writer | Wednesday, June 30, 2010
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first in an occasional series of stories based on meetings between The Telegraph editorial board and candidates for federal and …
