Please join us on Monday morning for coffee with Kelly Ayotte, candidate for U.S. Senate.  Bring your friends and neighbors to have a cup of coffee and chat with Kelly.

Where:   Tilt'n Diner 

61 Laconia Road
Tilton

 Time:     9:30-10:30AM

Contact:   Jan Face Glassman

 

 
 
Jim Bender, Republican candidate for the United States Senate, and his wife Susan reside in Hollis, New Hampshire, where they have lived for 24 years and raised two daughters.

Jim is a businessman. He has a record of fixing broken businesses suffering from poor management and wasteful spending. Along the way he’s created new jobs for hundreds of people across New Hampshire and beyond.

Jim’s a Washington outsider, and his goal is to be a public servant. Jim is a man who will return honor to politics. With your help, he’ll be our next Senator.

Frank says:

to having:

"a Belknap County GOP Committee meeting in July; instead town and city committees are encouraged to have a July meeting or event. Invite a candidate (or 2) and advertise it beyond your town. Others will come and event will help your town committee to grow. That,is exactly what BARC has done.

Next Belknap County GOP meeting is on Wed Aug 11 at Shang Hai restaurant."

Tentatively, the Honorable Bill O'Brien, Chair of the NH GOP Platform Committee (and running to be the next Speaker of the House) will be attending to review the Platform and the procedures surrounding changing it.

Consider yourselves informed!

Attention all Republicans,

Next week, the NHGOP Platform Committee will hold our hearing for Grafton, Coos, Carroll, Belknap and Merrimack Counties.

The following meeting is scheduled for your area:

Grafton, Coos and Carroll Counties
Tuesday, July 13 at 6:30 pm
Sunset Hill House
231 Sunset Hill Road
Sugar Hill, NH

Belknap and Merrimack Counties; Concord
Thursday, July 15 at 6:30 pm
The Draft Restaurant
67 S. Main Street, Concord

The NHGOP Platform Committee is charged with making recommendations to update the party platform that will be voted on at the 2010 NHGOP State Convention in September. You can read the current platform here. All registered Republicans are invited to attend and offer your input on the party platform. Any changes will be proposed as amendments to the current platform. Click here to download the form [PDF] needed to submit an amendment and speak during the hearing.

If you are unable to attend the hearing, but would like to submit an amendment for consideration, please email the completed form to platform@nhgop.org. Click here for information about additional upcoming hearings.

If you have any questions, please email us at platform@nhgop.org.

Bill O'Brien
Chair, NHGOP Platform Committee

Jen Wrobleski
Vice Chair, NHGOP Platform Committee

The Barnstead-Alton Republican Committee (BARC) will sponsor a Gubernatorial “Meet the Candidates” forum at J.J. Goodwin’s restaurant in Center Barnstead at 6 p.m. on July 13.

The second in a series of special events, the meeting will feature all of the declared GOP candidates for Governor — Frank Emiro, Jack Kimball, John Stephen, and Karen Testerman.

Charlie Arlinghaus, president of the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy, an independent, non-partisan, public policy research and educational organization, will serve as guest moderator. Arlinghaus is well known in political and educational circles for his quick thinking and off-the-cuff wit.

All interested Republicans and Unaffiliated/Independents are invited to attend. For more information, go to the BARC website at www.BARC-NewHampshire.com or send an e-mail to Barnstead.Alton.RepubComm@gmail.com, or call 364-9780.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ryan Williams
June 30, 2009   
(603) 225-9341


CONCORD – Today, former New Hampshire Governor and Republican State Committee Chairman John H. Sununu released the following statement on a Superior Court judge freezing $110 million that Governor Lynch has tried to steal from the New Hampshire Medical Malpractice Joint Underwriting Association fund:

“Unfortunately what we feared would happen has begun to happen. Republicans in the House and Senate warned Governor Lynch that the $110 million he is trying to steal from the Joint Underwriting Association to balance the state budget would likely be tied up in litigation.

“Yesterday a Superior Court judge ruled that the money has to be frozen until there is a final court decision on the ownership of the assets. This means the state budget closes out the last fiscal year $65 million in deficit and we start out next year’s budget $45 million in deficit. That makes $110 million dollars worth of shortfall.

“And with the inflated revenue estimates this may only be the beginning of even more serious problems for Governor Lynch’s budget.”

 
BACKGROUND:

The Laconia Citizen Reports That A Superior Court Judge Has Frozen $110 Million In Surplus Money From The New Hampshire Medical Malpractice Joint Underwriting Association Fund That Governor Lynch Is Trying To Steal To Pay For Excessive State Spending:

Laconia Citizen: “Judge Kathleen McGuire's action on Monday will keep the state from taking $110 million in surplus in the New Hampshire Medical Malpractice Joint Underwriting Association fund and using it to help balance the newest state budget. Specifically the judge ruled: ‘The funds at issue will not in any way be transferred prior to the final order of the court.’” (6/30)

$65 Million Has Been Used To Balance The 2009 Fiscal Year Budget That Ends TODAY, June 30, 2009:

Union Leader: “The first impact the standoff hits at the end of July, the date the new budget calls for a transfer of $65 million onto state books for the 2009 fiscal year.” (6/28)

$45 Million Has Been Used To Balance The 2010 Fiscal Year Budget:

Union Leader: “Another $45 million is supposed to come out for the 2010 fiscal year.” (6/28)

CONCORD – Today, former New Hampshire Governor and Republican State Committee Chairman John H. Sununu released the following statement on the passage of the Democrats’ disastrous budget:

“Governor Lynch and the radical Democrat leadership of the New Hampshire House and Senate got the budget they wanted today. They worked very hard to exclude the Republicans from the process and ignored every major spending cut the GOP tried to include in the committees, on the floor, and in the committee of conference.

“This is a disastrous budget that will have a devastating impact on New Hampshire families as they struggle to make ends meet during these difficult economic times. But as bad as this budget is for today, it is infinitely worse for New Hampshire’s future and its long-term job outlook and fiscal stability.

“In spite of Governor Lynch’s claim that his budget reduces spending, it doesn’t. It actually increases spending significantly – especially compared to what other states across the country have been doing. It is a shame the Governor couldn’t be honest about that.
                                                                                                                                                                             “In spite of what the Governor and the Legislature have said about this budget being balanced, it isn’t. The revenue projections that bring it into ‘balance’ are as fictitious as the revenue projections the Governor told us were solid and could support the 17.5% increase in spending of his last budget. We saw that the Governor had to eat those words after the November election last year as he tried to salvage that irresponsible budget with executive orders trimming back expenditures.

“But the worst part of this current budget is that it depends on onetime funding that will create an ever-recurring gap between revenues and spending programs. These include the $110 million theft of the medical malpractice fund surplus – which, in fact, may be blocked by a court injunction in the next few months as the medical profession’s lawsuit against this expropriation works its way through the court system. Furthermore, the onetime stimulus money propping up this budget will definitely not be there in the future and the Democrats’ ‘smoke and mirrors’ changes in accounting can only be performed once. All this leaves an approximately $500 million dollar continuing deficit for future New Hampshire budgets.

“This is the Democrats’ budget. This budget is absolute proof that the Democrats are ruining the State of New Hampshire.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ryan Williams
May 29, 2009   
(603) 225-9341


CONCORD – Today, former New Hampshire Governor and Republican State Committee Chairman John H. Sununu released the following statement on the Democrat Senate budget:

“Once again the Democrats have demonstrated their willingness to give lip service to the tax pledge and then find ways to break it in practice. The Senate Democrats have added to the budget a piece of tax legislation which would devastate the New Hampshire business community and destroy the state’s business climate. The suspension of the Business Enterprise Tax (BET) credit will chase businesses out of the state and significantly hurt those that stay.

“Governor Lynch has merely expressed ‘concerns’ about this tax. As usual, he seems unwilling to take a firm stand and clearly state that he will veto any budget that imposes this $40 million tax hike on local businesses. He needs to make it clear that this is a bad tax for New Hampshire.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ryan Williams
May 20, 2009   
(603) 225-9341


CONCORD – Today, former New Hampshire Governor and Republican State Committee Chairman John H. Sununu released the following statement on the New Hampshire House voting to reject Governor John Lynch’s same-sex marriage amendment:

“Now even the Democrats are angry at Governor Lynch for trying to have it both ways. The Democrats are clearly saying to the Governor that his style of avoiding making important decisions is not the New Hampshire way. It is fitting justice that the Democrats are sticking it to the Governor for going back on his word.”

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

-Senator Judd Gregg On The New Hampshire Democrat Leadership’s Abysmal Record

Live Free - Or Become Massachusetts Jr.
The Wall Street Journal
Brian M. Carney
May 19, 2009

On his way out of the Senate, Judd Gregg's outlook is mostly downbeat. He sees an Obama administration determined to grow the government beyond all historical bounds and a Republican Party without the votes to stand in the way.

But in one respect, the senior Senator from New Hampshire was remarkably upbeat: He believes the GOP is poised to come surging back in 2010 -- at least in his native New Hampshire. "This election," he said during a visit to the Journal offices recently, "will settle the future of New Hampshire -- whether we stay the refugee camp for entrepreneurs in New England, or whether we become New Hampshirechusetts."

He acknowledges it may be too soon to say whether his state's voters have fully grasped what the Democratic-controlled legislature is up to. "The legislature is moving dramatically in the direction of Massachusetts. I mean, basically anything that gets passed in Massachusetts, the Democratic legislature introduces the next week and tries to pass in New Hampshire." But he likes the GOP's chances. "We have a lot of talented people in the Republican Party right now," he says.
……

Mr. Gregg says New Hampshire Democrats "have performed so poorly in the area of fiscal responsibility, in the area of pushing a very, very liberal social agenda that I think [voters] are beginning to realize that they made a mistake. And they didn't let those folks in because they thought the policies at the state level were incorrect. They were just voting straight tickets against Bush and the Iraq policy."

With that "overhang" gone, Mr. Gregg smells a comeback.

           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                         CONTACT: Ryan Williams
           April 8, 2009                                                                    (603)225-9341


CONCORD - Today, former New Hampshire Governor and Republican State Committee Chairman John H. Sununu released the following statement on the Bathroom Bill passing by one vote in the New Hampshire House:

 “The House vote on the bathroom bill shows how important one vote truly is. It is critical for the voters in State Senate District 3 to understand that they can’t let the Democrats gain another vote in the Senate or we will see more radical bills like this coming out of the Legislature.”

           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                         CONTACT: Ryan Williams
           April 8, 2009                                                                    (603)225-9341



CONCORD - Today, former New Hampshire Governor and Republican State Committee Chairman John H. Sununu released the following statement on Willard “Bud” Martin’s desperate attempt to distance himself from the Democrat imposed rooms and meals tax:

“On the rooms and meals tax, Bud is ‘pulling a Buco.’ Mr. Martin is attempting to obscure his support for his Party’s radical agenda because he knows how politically unpopular the Democrat’s rooms and meals tax is in District 3. Although he may pretend to be against this tax, everybody knows that Bud Martin would be another rubber stamp vote for the Democrat’s disastrous 10% rooms and meals tax increase if he ever got elected to the State Senate.”

BACKGROUND:

Representative Tom Buco (D-Conway) Flip-Flopped On His Pledge To Fight The Democrat’s Disastrous Rooms And Meals Tax And Voted For it:

Conway Daily Sun: “State Rep. Tom Buco voted for a Democratic-dominated budget he has admitted would saddle the local tourism industry with burdensome tax hikes, days after the Conway Democrat vowed to fight it.” (4/6/09)

Now The Democrat State Committee Is Trying To Fool Voters Into Believing That Willard “Bud” Martin Is Against The Democrat Imposed Rooms And Meals Tax Increase:

Democrat State Committee: “He does not support an increase in the rooms and meals tax…” (Conway Daily Sun, 4/8/09)

           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                         CONTACT: Ryan Williams
           April 2, 2009                                                                    (603)225-9341



CONCORD – In his latest interview with WMUR-TV yesterday, Democrat State Senate candidate Willard "Bud" Martin continued to duck questions about his positions on the death penalty and same-sex marriage while explaining his support for higher taxes. He claimed that state government should "get the horse before the cart" by imposing tax hikes on working families during a recession.

Mr. Martin's pledged support for higher taxes and refusal to define his positions on pressing issues comes at a time when the State Senate is considering a slew of radical bills passed by the House. This includes legislation that will establish same-sex marriage, repeal the death penalty, and impose a 5% capital gains tax, an 8% death tax and a nearly 10% hike in the rooms and meals tax that would devastate New Hampshire's tourism industry.

Martin, a current public office holder, also made the patently absurd claim that it is inappropriate for candidates to discuss their views and principles while campaigning.

"Bud Martin continues to show a total lack of respect for the intelligence of New Hampshire voters. People want their candidates for public office to take clear stands on the major issues instead of dodging basic questions about their positions." said New Hampshire Republican Party Communications Director Ryan Williams. "Bud Martin owes the residents of District 3 a clear and upfront explanation about why he supports the liberal agenda currently advancing through the legislature."


BACKGROUND:

Willard "Bud" Martin Refusing To Take A Position On The Death Penalty And Same-Sex Marriage:

• Martin: It would be presumptuous of me to take a position on something that I haven't had an opportunity to hear from everybody on. What I do pledge is that I will be responsible once i hear and understand the issues.

Willard "Bud" Martin Explaining His Support For Higher Taxes:

• Martin: It isn't really about if we want this tax or that tax we have to start with what are the services - get the "horse before the cart."

CLICK HERE FOR FULL VIDEO OF WMUR'S SENATE DISTRICT 3 CANDIDATE PROFILE

           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                         CONTACT: Ryan Williams
           April 1, 2009                                                                (603)225-9341



CONCORD – Today, former New Hampshire Governor and Republican State Committee Chairman John H. Sununu released the following statement on the Democrat’s efforts to hide their legislative game-playing from the public:

“It’s a disgrace that the Democrats again are keeping secrets from the public by violating legislative procedure. Their ‘let’s-not-let-the-public-know-what-we-are-doing” straw poll in the Senate Rules Committee today is a violation of the public’s Right to Know, as was the Democrat’s stealthy straw poll in the House Ways and Means Committee two weeks ago. But what can you expect from a Party whose candidate in the District 3 special election is telling the public: I don’t have to tell you my positions while I am running for public office.”
 

BACKGROUND:

Two Weeks Ago The Democrats Held A Stealthy Straw Poll In The House Ways And Means Committee:

Union Leader: “Republicans were angry that Democrats seem to be short-circuiting the usual legislative process, in which bills get an up-or-down vote both in committee and on the House floor. They said they will try to divide each tax bill out for separate votes, but don't know if Democrats will agree.” (3/20/09)

           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                         CONTACT: Ryan Williams
           March 26, 2009                                                            (603)225-9341



CONCORD - Today, former New Hampshire Governor and Republican State Committee Chairman John H. Sununu released the following statement on the New Hampshire House bill to legalize same-sex marriage:

“The passage of the same-sex marriage bill is another attempt by the liberal Democrats in the Legislature to impose their San Francisco agenda on the State of New Hampshire. The small margin by which the bill passed should encourage Governor Lynch to take a stand with a clear ‘I will veto this bill if it gets to my desk’ message. New Hampshire doesn’t need this kind of legislation.”

This week Jeb Bradley announced his candidacy for State Senate in the third district. We need Jeb in the Senate to help preserve the traditional values and fiscal integrity that has made New Hampshire a special place to live.

We also have another extremely important upcoming special election for State Representative in Rockingham District 4 at the end of April.

We need your help to ensure that we can win these critical seats and bolster the Republican ranks in the legislature.

State Representative                                         State Senate
Rockingham District 4                                          District 3

Primary Election - Tuesday, March 24                Special Election - Tuesday, April 21
Special Election - Tuesday, April 28

   


Governor Sununu and Jeb Bradley will appear on WMUR's Close Up this Sunday at 10:00 AM.

Governor Sununu will discuss the future of the Republican Party, Governor Lynch's irresponsible budget and the Democrat's liberal agenda. Jeb will discuss his candidacy for the State Senate in District 3.



Democrats in the New Hampshire House of Representatives are pushing radical legislation that will allow individuals to legally choose if they would like to use a men’s restroom or women’s restroom - regardless of their actual biological gender. The “Bathroom Bill” (HB415), which makes changes to existing laws, grants universal access to public restrooms based on an individual’s preferred “gender-related identity, appearance, expression, or behavior of an individual.”

This week the House Judiciary Committee voted to advance the Bathroom Bill to the House. The full House will vote on the bill on Thursday, March 26, 2009.

Governor Lynch has refused to take a stand against this disastrous bill, despite receiving media inquiries on his position.




This week NHGOP Chairman John H. Sununu offered his "condolences" to Carol Shea-Porter, who was unceremoniously muscled out of the 2010 race for Senate by the Democrat Party elders in favor or their anointed candidate, Paul Hodes:

“I extend my condolences to Carol Shea-Porter," said Governor Sununu. "Although she is putting on a positive public face, I know that she must be very disappointed at having been forced out of a primary contest with Paul Hodes - especially since she probably would have beaten him.”



Governor Lynch's bid to create a new tax on gambling winnings and higher taxes on meals, room and car rentals was attacked last week by New Hampshire grocers, restaurant owners and nonprofit leaders according to the Nashua Telegraph.

Lynch’s two-year budget also relies upon raising the tax on cigarettes and a host of fee increases that together raise more than $130 million. The Governor also plans to raise the room and meals tax from 8 percent to 8.75 percent.

“I can’t imagine a good time to increase the room and meals tax but certainly I don’t think we could find a worse time to do it than now,’’ warned Bartlett Republican Rep. Gene Chandler.

           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                         CONTACT: Ryan Williams
           March 16, 2009                                                            (603)225-9341
 


CONCORD - Today, former New Hampshire Governor and Republican State Committee Chairman John H. Sununu released the following statement on Carol Shea-Porter’s decision to not challenge Paul Hodes for the Democrat nomination for U.S. Senate in 2010:

“I extend my condolences to Carol Shea-Porter. Although she is putting on a positive public face, I know that she must be very disappointed at having been forced out of a primary contest with Paul Hodes - especially since she probably would have beaten him.”

         FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            CONTACT: Ryan Williams
         March 16, 2009                                                               (603)225-9341

 

CONCORD - Today, former New Hampshire Governor and Republican State Committee Chairman John H. Sununu released the following statement on Jeb Bradley’s candidacy for the State Senate in District 3:

“Jeb Bradley’s love for the State of New Hampshire is clearly demonstrated by his acceptance of the call to run for the State Senate in District 3. He understands that if we are to preserve the traditional values and fiscal integrity that have been the hallmark of New Hampshire, we need to strengthen the Republican ranks in the Legislature.

“Jeb Bradley will make a great State Senator and his voice will help fight against the increase in the room and meals tax, restore fair distribution of revenue to our communities and help maintain New Hampshire’s special environment.”

Former NH Governor and current NH GOP Chair John H. Sununu was interviewed by The Hippo this past week. 
In an extensive (5 pages) piece, Sununu was asked a wide range of questions - and he obliged!


Former New Hampshire Gov. John H. Sununu has served in a variety of roles during his distinguished career, from engineer to governor to White House chief of staff to the host of CNN’s Crossfire. He and his wife, Nancy, even took on hog wrangling duties for a year in their town. (The pair were named honorary hog reeves in Hampton Falls, which means they were the go-to tandem for rounding up the town’s loose pigs.)  But at 69, his latest post as chairman of the state Republican Party may prove to be one of the most challenging roles he’s played so far. Earlier this year, Sununu, who served as the state’s governor from 1983 to 1989, took the reins of the party from prior chairman Fergus Cullen, who opted against running again since Sununu wanted the post

He takes over a party that was beaten badly both in New Hampshire and nationally in the November 2008 election. His son, John, lost in his bid for reelection to the United States Senate. Longstanding Republican Sen. Judd Gregg nearly left the Senate to be President Barack Obama’s Commerce Secretary and then abruptly turned around on that post and quickly added he won’t seek reelection in 2010. In addition, Democratic incumbents bested their Republican challengers in both Congressional races and in landslide fashion for the governor’s office. While Republicans did pick up some seats in the state House of Representatives, the majority still goes heavily to Democrats, who also held their majority in the state Senate. On top of all that, recent studies coming out of the University of New Hampshire say Democrats are taking over the Granite State. New voters are siding with Democrats. People moving into the state — not all from Massachusetts — are already Democrats when they arrive. The result, UNH researchers say, is a much bluer New Hampshire.

But Sununu isn’t backing down — not even close. Soon after last fall’s election, the man who was Chief of Staff for President George H.W. Bush went on the offensive. He offered strong criticism, a good portion of which was aimed directly at Gov. John Lynch and his Democratic counterparts, who Sununu says are guilty of overspending.


I sat down with Sununu at his home Friday, Feb. 27, to talk with him about a wide range of topics. We conducted a follow-up phone interview Tuesday, March 3. We started off with his reasons for getting back into politics.

Why did you decide to reenter the ring, so to speak?

Well, New Hampshire is really such a great state, and I saw it changing dramatically for the worse. I have kids and grandkids that I want to be able to enjoy the state and all the benefits of the state the same way I did. And I felt that if I didn’t get involved, it might never get restored to where it should be. I really do believe that over the last 10 to 12 years — now with the new administration coming in, it’ll be 12 out of 14 years of Democratic rule in the state — that the state really has lost a great deal. We’ve lost a lot of the quality of life. We’ve lost a lot of the aspects of local control which kept our citizens involved and self-governing. We’ve shifted power from cities and towns to Concord. And we have lost the fiscal discipline and the management discipline that made this a very well-run state that people really loved living in. It’s still a good state, but not as good as it used to be. It used to be a great state. And we have to try and help restore it. I saw that one of the biggest problems was that Democrats campaign well and govern terribly. But I also recognized that the problem was a problem within the Republican Party where we have not defined the difference between ourselves and the Democrats in a way that registered with the voters, and in a way that explained why the Republican traditional way of doing things really was done for the benefit of the state over the last half century.

Now that you’re back into it, do you feel energized or reinvigorated?

I’m dangerous.

How so?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                               CONTACT: Ryan Williams
March 13, 2009                                                                                  (603)225-9341


CONCORD - Today, former New Hampshire Governor and Republican State Committee Chairman John H. Sununu released the following statement on the Merrimack Station Power Plant:

“No matter how hard the Democrats try to sound like they have a constructive energy policy, their actions prove they are anti-energy, anti-growth and anti-jobs. The repeated attempts by the House and Senate liberals to force the Merrimack Station Power Plant out of business are perfect examples of the radical and destructive agenda that has been adopted by the New Hampshire Democrat Party. Their actions should serve as a clear indicator for anyone who doubted that the Democrat leadership supports the debilitation of the traditional power sources that supply the majority of New Hampshire residents with cheap and efficient energy.

“This effort to shutter the Merrimack Station is part of a larger effort by the national Democrat Party to abandon our domestic coal as a principal supply of energy. While liberal Democrats in Washington are pushing unreasonably high standards on trace mercury emissions, their comrades in Concord are attempting to implement conflicting restrictions that will make it impossible for the Merrimack Power Plant to meet those standards. We’ve seen the same strategy employed towards other reliable forms of energy such as oil and nuclear power, which Democrats have attempted to block with government regulations, superfluous lawsuits and unfounded scare tactics for the last thirty years.

“If one thing is clear it’s that the liberals in Concord will stop at nothing to implement their radical agenda regardless of the disastrous effects it will have on electrical bills or New Hampshire’s power supply. We can’t let them shut down 40% of New Hampshire’s supply of electricity. The Merrimack Station should be allowed to purchase and install environmental controls to meet the federal standards.”

Today, I officially came out of ‘political retirement’ to accept election as Chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party. I am doing this because our great state is being ruined by a Democrat Party which appears not to understand what makes New Hampshire special.

New Hampshire is facing a crisis… a crisis in management… a crisis in spending… a crisis in accountability.

Since the Democrats took control of the State House:

• The State Budget Has Produced Our Largest Deficit Ever!
• New Hampshire’s Education Funding Crisis Remains Unresolved!
• The Quality of NH State Services is Now Ranked As The Lowest in The Nation!
• The State Retirement Fund is Facing a Multi-Billion Dollar Shortfall!

It is time for the Republican Party to bring back the New Hampshire principles of Low Taxes, Limited Government and Local Control.

If we want to fix this problem, we need to prepare for the 2010 election cycle with all the energy and all the commitment and all the resources we can gather. I hope to energize our constituencies and get our Party back on track. But this is an effort I cannot accomplish alone. It is time for all of us to get involved and contribute in every way we can.

Your financial support for our New Hampshire Republican Party is needed right now. The Democrats outspent us by 3 to 1 in the last election.

Thank you very much. I look forward to an exciting and successful two years for the Republican Party.

Sincerely,

John H. Sununu
Chairman
NH Republican State Committee

Election Results:  New Officers for the NH GOP:

Chair:                       Former NH Governor John H. Sununu
Vice-Chair:               Wayne MacDonald (re-elected)
Treasurer:                 Robert Scott
Asst Treasurer:         Eileen Smiglowski
Secretary                 Chris Wood
Asst Secretary:         Jay Flanders

Area 1 Vice-Chair:     Steve Hellwig
Area 2 Vice-Chair:     <unknown at this time>
Area 3 Vice-Chair:     <unknown at this time>
Area 4 Vice-Chair:     <unknown at this time>
Area 5 Vice-Chair:     Fran Wendelboe
Area 6 Vice-Chair:     <unknown at this time>

News also came in from Twitter that former NH State Senator Carl Johnson fell ill during the proceedings (along with one other delegate) - our prayers go out to him and his family.

We had two special speakers this past Wednesday - Jeff Newman and Fran Wendelboe who are both running for the Area 5 Vic-Chair position.  Due to timing constraints, Jeff spoke early in the evening and Fran spoke later.

Video of the meeting can be seen by clicking on the Video guy below!

Belknap County Republicans also voted on the who the next officers of the Belknap County Republicans would be.  The Nominating Committee (consisting of Don Flanders, Helen Holbrook, &  George Roberts) put the following out for consideration:

Chairman:     Tilton, Chair
Vice-Chair:    Bill Tobin
Treasuer:      Bob Holebrook
Secretary:     Karen Brickner

There were no other nominations - Don Flanders (acting Chair during this deliberation), asked the Secretary to cast one vote for each to complete the election.

As Chair, Frank Tilton, is already part of the NH GOP State Committee, thus an opening for a new Delegate was filled by a runoff between Coach Fitzgerald and Skip Murphy, with the former being elected to the position.

Volunteers were taken to create a new set of By Laws (Alan was volunteered by Jan, Skip Murphy volunteered; discussion about the website and a request for more contributors was made.

In what seems to be part of the changing of the guard at the GOP, the NH GOP December Newsletter had this news:

As we downsize after the elections, two of our staff members are moving on to new adventures.  Dean of the staff Pete Flynn, our Finance Director since 2007, and Political Director Tom DeRosa both served the party very capably and will be missed.

Meanwhile, the news from the Democrats is a bit more positive:

In addition to a new executive director, the New Hampshire Democratic Party has hired a field director and an office manager. A party newsletter says that Ryan Mahoney will be the party's field director and Alexis Chininis will be the office manager. Mahoney was the deputy director of the House Democratic Caucus during the 2008 general election and Chininis was the executive director of the Manchester city Democrats. Chininis is also a state representative from Manchester.

The NH GOP, Belknap County Republicans, and in conjunction with the McCain 2008  will be opening their Laconia office on Monday, August 25th from 5pm to 7pm.  


will be dropping by, arriving between 5:00 and 5:15pm and staying for a while to greet any and all Republicans at the new office.

As part of the opening, Robert Brennan Heuchling is looking for for volunteers to help make phone calls to Belknap County and to go door to door in Laconia and other local towns.   Our biggest push is to have volunteers in here on Tuesday (8/26) and Thursday (8/28) evenings (or during the day) and on Saturday. Stop by for a few hours or for the whole thing, we will have pizza and light refreshments for lunch.

Since all Republicans and Republican candidates are well, please feel free to stop by to leave your campaign literature and signs.  Lists will be available for phone calls and neighborhood walks.

We also have signs, bumper stickers and other goodies to hand out for those that want them.)

Location:

Republican Laconia Office
664 Main Street (next to Barbary Barbers) on the left side of Main Street
Laconia, NH
03246
524-1999

All will be welcome!

For further information, contact:

Robert Brennan Heuchling
New England Coalitions Director
John McCain 2008
Office: 603-369-4972
Mobile: 603-369-7558

For media questions, please either email Mark Hamilton (NH GOP Executive Director) or call him at 603-219-3933.

From PolitickerNH:

Mike Hamilton named new NH GOP Executive Director

Mike Hamilton has been hired has the new Executive Director for the New Hampshire Republican party.

Hamilton is a former field representative for Mitt Romney's campaign and a graduate of Dartmouth College. He replaces Steve DeMaura who left the position to take a job in Washington D.C.

"Mike has practical campaign experience in
New Hampshire and has deep roots in the state," Republican Chairman Fergus Cullen told PolitickerNH.com.

A New Hampshire political strategist said, "Mike is a highly organized individual and will be great for the party."

The Executive Director is responsible for day-to-day operations of the state party.

We wish him good luck!

I just got the chance to read The Gilford Steamer's and saw the media's take on the meeting, and on Fergus Cullen himself:

Some might think it is odd that the chairman of the Republican Party in New Hampshire would come to a little town like Gilford to speak to a crowd of very few, but for Fergus Cullen that is just part of his job, and, after all, Gilford is his hometown.

Cullen was raised in Gilford and graduated from its school system in 1994. He went on to Yale College and then earned a master's in public administration from Harvard Business School. Since then he has served on many political campaigns serving in such positions as political director, financial director, deputy press secretary and deputy campaign director. His current elected position allows him to use all those skills. Cullen manages an office, fund raises and speaks to crowds looking to form republican groups. He is the second youngest republican state chairman in the country at 35 and got interested in politics very young as well.

"People get into politics because they believe in policy," said Cullen, "and that the ideas or groups that win make a difference."

Cross Posted over at GilfordGOP.org; go read the rest!