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The national Democratic Party lost the Presidential election, including the popular vote for the first time since 2004, the majority in the United States House of Representatives, and the United States Senate. The state Democratic Party lost the election for Governor, and the majorities in the State Senate by a margin of 16 to 8, and the State House of Representatives by 222 to 176. I know some have tried to play the ‘rigged election’ card back on the Republicans but the fact of the matter is this election was a repudiation of the Democratic Party. If we do not come to terms with that fact, and reconcile with why, we are doomed to continue to lose going forward.
What gives me hope is the shine of the sun the day after the election.
The reminder that no matter what, the sun shall rise again.
That no matter how dark it gets, how chaotic the weather is, the sun will shine again.
When a party loses an election. Part of that reflection process should be a thorough examination of it’s leaders and their leadership. That is done through the leadership election process. In the House of Representatives, leadership elections are held by each caucus in November after the election. The Democratic caucus for the House was set to meet on the 14th. During the election I had mulled running or seeking some position of leadership in the House where I could aid or ensure the mechanics of the House ran such that all members could exercise their full potential as a Representative of their constituents. Ensuring fairness in the process, the scheduling, and most importantly the crafting of our State’s budget. Whether that be as a committee chair or some other position I certainly did consider what impact I could have in the next General Court if we were to gain the majority of seats in the legislature. After it was clear we did not, by a significant margin, I conceded those thoughts.
I had no real interests in caucus leadership whether that be in the leadership office, or as a ranking member of a committee. They are both noble jobs but far more political roles than the type of leadership which I feel I am best suited to. They are jobs in which you’re largely bound to hyper partisanship, or at least, they have become that in recent years. Changing that dynamic would take a mountain of work, and you may endeavor up that mountain only to find yourself lost above the clouds without oxygen. There is no easy solution to the ails of the caucus system. The real solutions will come through a Speaker, and the majority which elects one, that is willing to do the hard work of raising the standards of the legislature as a whole.
Matthew Wilhelm served as the leader of the minority caucus in the 168th General Court. He was elected by a twenty vote margin against former Speaker Steve Shurtleff, who was just elected as a Merrimack county commissioner in this last election. Matt had a tough job in a legislature where the margin between caucuses was less than ten people, and anybody who was leader during those conditions would have. He sent out a letter to all elected House Democrats after the election stating his intention to run for re-election as leader in the upcoming caucus. An incumbent leader announcing their intention to run again largely locks up the election.
About a week before the vote, an email was sent out by Matt and his Deputy Leader, Alexis Simpson of Exeter. The emailed stated that Matt would be stepping aside from his run to assume a position as Chair of the Democratic Victory Campaign Committee while Deputy Leader Simpson would assume her role as leader with much of the same leadership team. The DVCC is the House Democrats’ campaign committee. Which aims to coordinate support for candidates to the House in tough districts. The fact of the matter is only the elected leader of the House Democratic caucus can appoint the DVCC Chair, so many people in the caucus who had been there for a few moons, found the letter a bit presumptuous.
As the seat for leader of the caucus was now technically an open race, despite the attempt to lock it up with a last minute switch up; I went to a few colleagues of mine to see if they would be willing to run for the position. Colleagues I knew had expressed well thought out concerns about where the party found itself, and had solutions about how to make it better. People who were good at building bridges not just between caucuses but within the caucus. Lifting up and showcasing the expertise of all the members of our caucus.
Everybody agreed someone should, but none thought it should be them. There were only a couple days left until the election and seemingly no one was willing to run against the ‘anointed one’. After speaking to those closest to me in the legislature, as I had in the summer when considering other positions, which include people who have served in democratic leadership in the past. It dawned on me that I could not sit at lunch with them for another two years only to complain about the failures of the current leadership, doing nothing about it. If no one else was willing to do it, then I was. I did a final conference with some of my close colleagues and they all agreed to support. Representative Leishman, twenty six years in the legislature, agreed to speak to my nomination for leader. Representative Linda Harriott Gathright, agreed to give a speech to second the nomination. I wrote up an email to my fellow caucus members, which is available on my website for all to read, and we were off to the races. For essentially a one day campaign.
Representative Alicia Gregg, who got elected in the same class as me, also courageously decided to put her hat in the ring that day.
We had a good election. Where tough questions were asked and a deliberation was had. Which at the end of the day made both Representative Gregg and I’s candidacy worth it. Ultimately, Representative Simpson did win her seat in leadership. One of my close colleagues, and a friend, who’s been in the legislature for many years said to me after the election; if people had voted based on merit, and what was presented, you would have won. Who knows if that is true or not but what I do know is that running isn’t always about winning. Sometimes running is an act of courage when no one else will. Standing for the principles which no one else will speak to. I want to thank all of my colleagues for giving me a chance to speak before them as a candidate for the leadership and I wish Representative Simpson’s team the best in these next two years.
This month also marked the finalization of all sponsored legislation for the 2025 session the 169th General Court. Given the numbers in the legislature it will be tough to get issues proposed by the Democratic Party which end up being partisan passed through the legislature. Issues such as public school funding, environmental protections, and policy which will ensure fair hearings for all citizens going through the criminal justice system a.k.a criminal justice reform. Nonetheless, each bill gets a public hearing and a vote in committee, and a debate and vote on the House floor. It is the obligation of the minority to be the conscience of the House. To speak up when the majority does wrong, and present the alternative whether or not they will accept it. Showing the electorate who is truly focused on the issues they elected the majority to solve.
I have sponsored a total of thirty two pieces of legislation. Two of which I am the prime sponsor of, the other thirty as a co-sponsor. We are still in the process of crafting the exact text for the bills but some of the LSRs which have been filed for text include my legislation which passed on an overwhelming bipartisan basis in the House, ending up interim studied by the State Senate, which would annul the record of anyone convicted of a misdemeanor or violation level possession of cannabis charge. Legislation to address the Statewide Education Property tax, relieving towns across the State of their municipal burden and lowering property taxes across the State while providing more money to our public schools. Establishing a voluntary ‘blue envelope’ program similar to the one implemented in State’s across the country to ensure better communication between drivers with autism and the law enforcement pulling them over.
I believe despite the minority in which Democrats find themselves, we will be able to still get plenty of non partisan work done for the State. Showing that no matter what the composition of the legislature we are willing to work towards governing the State we were all elected to serve.