Fall Elections are Less Than 3 Months Away

One of the many impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic is that some events that are non-pandemic-related get lost in the all-COVID, all-the-time news coverage. In the midst of the recent NH House and Senate meetings in-person at different locations than their usual State House chambers, the filing period for all State elective offices quietly opened and closed. Other than one US Senator whose term does not end this year - Sen. (D) - every NH state, county and local elective office is up for grabs and there are some surprises in the NH House, Senate and Executive Council line-ups for the September primary and the November general elections.

In the House, 38 Democrats and 37 Republicans did not file for re-election, which will leave some big holes, especially in committee leadership positions. The chair of the Commerce & Consumer Affairs Committee, Ed Butler, is stepping down and the Science and Technology Committee is losing both its chair and vice-chair, Bob Backus and Howard Moffett. The Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee will lose its vice-chair, Polly Campion. And the Children and Family Law and Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committees will both lose their vice-chairs, Skip Berrien and Beth Rodd.

In addition, two Division chairs of the House Finance Committee will not be back next session because they are seeking higher office: Patricia Lovejoy (D) is running for the Executive Council seat left open by the retirement of Russell Prescott; and Susan Ford (D) is running for State Senate District One, the seat now held by (R).

These are all Democrats, who are in the majority this year. But there are also some long-time Republican members who chose not to file and will be similarly missed: Erin Hennessey, a key member of the House Finance Committee, is giving up her House seat to challenge Sen. Starr. Neither Frank Kotowski, a former H&HS Committee chair who more recently served on the Fish and Game Committee; nor John Fothergill, a primary care doctor and current member of H&HS, chose to file for re-election. Jack Flanagan, who was once a House majority leader, is also sitting out the 2020 race. And Rep. Dennis Fields is ending his 34 years of service in the House.

Filing for the House are a number of former members, including Bill O’Brien (R), the former Speaker, who was first opposing US Senator (D) but is now seeking a House seat from Nashua. Also looking to return are former Republican Reps. Bob Theberge, Steve Stefanik, Peter Hansen, John Martin and Bonnie Ham; and Democrats Hal Lynde, Elaine Andrews-Ahearn and Rich DiPentima.

The State Senate is losing two Martha’s, both Democrats: Sen. Martha Fuller Clark of Portsmouth is retiring after 6 terms in the NH House and 7 terms in the Senate. Sen. Martha Hennessy of Hanover is retiring after 2 terms in the Senate and one in the House. Both their seats are in strong Democratic districts where there will be primary and general races. For the open District 21 seat that includes Portsmouth, Rebecca Kwoka and Deglan McEachern are newcomers who will compete in the Democratic primary in September; the winner will face Sue Polidura (R) in November. In District 5, Sen. Hennessey’s seat, Democrats Beatriz Pastor, a former House member, and will face off in the primary; the winner of that race will compete against Timothy O’Hearne (R) in the general.

There are no Senate members getting a free ride this year; all have primary and/or general election races. Of the 22 Senate members who are seeking re-election, John Reagan (R) and (R) are being primaried, along with Sen. Starr, as noted above. Sen. Reagan will face Janet DelFuoco (R) in the primary, and then Nancy Fraher (D) will again try for the District 17 seat in November. Sen. Giuda, District 2, is being challenged by David Devoy (R) in the primary and the winner of that race will face Bill Bolton (D) in the general.

Hoping to win back their seats this year are former Senators Bill Gannon (R) who is running for Sen. Jon Morgan’s (D) seat in District 23; Gary L. Daniels (R) who is running for Sen. ’s (D) seat in District 11; and (R) who is running for Sen. ’s (D) seat in District 12. The Senate is also losing Sen. (D) who is running for Governor and faces Executive Councilor Andru Volinsky in the primary. There are 3 Democrats running for the Feltes seat: Paul Hodes, a former US Congressman; Candace Bouchard, a long-time House member who chaired the Public Works Committee; and Becky Whitley, a former Disability Rights Center attorney. The winner of that primary will face Linda Rae Banfill (R) of Concord in November.

The Executive Council is losing two members: Volinsky (D), who is seeking the corner office; and Prescott (R), who is retiring. The Volinsky seat, District 2, has 2 Republicans and 6 Democrats competing. The Russell Prescott seat has 3 Republicans and 2 Democrats in the race. Two former Councilors, Joe Kenney (R) and Dave Wheeler (R), are hoping to win back their seats from Democrats Michael Cryans and Debora Pignatelli. They both also face primaries.

There is plenty of interest and plenty of competition for these and other seats, but how the actual campaigning is carried out during COVID remains to be seen. is not fully re-opened and the Division of Public Health continues to urge caution as states to the south of us see an increasing number of COVID cases. With no fairs, festivals, parades, Old Home Days or other large outdoor events, opportunities for candidates to get out and meet the voters are limited. “Pressing the flesh” as a campaign staple may finally become obsolete – another loss to the COVID pandemic.