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Clemons defeats Teeboom

By Adam Urquhart - Staff Writer | Mar 6, 2019

Glasses clink together as newly elected Alderman-at-Large Ben Clemons, center, sits down to enjoy a drink in celebration of his win, on Tuesday at The Flight Center. As the results of the Special Municipal Election were tallied, Clemons and a group of his supporters gathered to celebrate his accomplishment.

NASHUA – “Today, Nashua voted to reject outright homophobia. Today, Nashua voted to reject sexism,” newly elected Board of Aldermen member Ben Clemons said late Tuesday after soundly defeating his opponent, Fred Teeboom.

Though voter turnout for the special election was a paltry 7.7 percent, Clemons dominated among those who on Tuesday participated in democracy. Clemons claimed about 68 percent of the vote, with a total of 3,015 tallies.

Teeboom, meanwhile, took 1,428 votes for approximately a 32 percent share.

“Today, Nashua voted to reject the spending cap as a bind that ties the hand of its elected officials from being able to make wise decisions about our future,” Clemons added during a his victory speech at The Flight Center on Main Street.

Tuesday’s results rolled in shortly after the polls closed at 8 p.m., and Clemons and a group of his supporters surrounded him to share a celebratory drink for his hard work campaigning to get to this point.

Telegraph photo by ADAM URQUHART Newly elected Nashua Alderman-at-Large Ben Clemons, third from left, beams a bright smile while standing surrounded by his supporters, on Tuesday at The Flight Center on Main Street.

“We put a lot of hard work into the campaign and obviously the results show, so I’m very happy,” Clemons said.

Mayor Jim Donchess said he looks forward to having Clemons as part of city government, as well as working with him to make Nashua an even greater place to live.

“I think Ben presented a very positive image and plan for the city, and I’m not surprised that he did as well as he did,” Donchess said.

Now that Clemons has secured his seat on the board, he will serve the remainder of former board President Brian McCarthy’s term, which lasts until the end of the year. Donchess said the three at-large seats are up for election November, including President Lori Wilshire’s, Vice President Michael O’Brien’s, and the seat Clemons just claimed.

Tuesday, Clemons said he is definitely going to run for a full term when that time comes.

“I know up there, somewhere, Brian McCarthy is proud too,” Clemons said during his speech.

McCarthy’s wife, Gloria, said she is quite pleased that Clemons won.

“He and Brian were good friends and they share a lot of common values, and I think he will be a good representative for the city, and will do me proud,” McCarthy said.

In echoing her thoughts, Wilshire said she is excited to be working with Clemons, and that he worked hard for this win. She said Clemons has been an advocate for all things good in the city of Nashua.

“I could not be happier with the outcome of this election,” Wilshire said.

As a lifelong Nashua resident, Clemons has deep roots in the Gate City. He graduated Nashua Senior High School in 2000, and went on to study American History, receiving his bachelor’s degree in American Studies in 2004 from Franklin Pierce University. After returning home, it was not long before he got involved with politics, serving his first term on the BOA when he was elected in 2007 as an alderman-at-large. In 2015, he was elected to serve on the board for a second time as alderman from Ward 6. Clemons also claimed the seat of vice president on the board from 2010 to 2012.

However, after giving so much of himself to the community, it came time to care for himself and focus some attention on his personal life. That’s when he then married the love of his life, Ashley in 2016. He currently works as a consumer loan officer at MIT Federal Credit Union in Cambridge, Massachusetts on the MIT campus.

As 2019 unfolds Clemons will return to the board soon. Priorities for Clemons include expanding commuter rail through Nashua, supporting the downtown Performing Arts Center and addressing the Elm Street Middle School project.

“I think Nashua turned a page tonight, and I’m just happy to be a part of Nashua history tonight,” Clemons added.

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