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When people say ‘running for office’ they are not kidding. This is a mile long sprint. This month was a whirlwind of events and meetings. As the last two months have begun, this one started with a rally. This time at the State House. It was a rally to bring attention to the dire issue of pollution. The large multinational corporations of the world care not about the horror they’re inflicting on our flora and fauna. Right here in New Hampshire, the waste management industry lobbies the legislature for lax rules on the siting of landfills in our State so that they can continue to import out of state trash for profit. Industry pumps forever chemicals otherwise known as PFAS into the water system of the State. All while the legislature turns a blind eye.
This was a younger crowd of people, and the politicos of our country try to ascribe ‘pollution issues’ as one that only young people care about - but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Putting strong environmental protections into law is a priority for people across generations, ideologies, and creeds. It will be a priority of mine if I am to be elected. We desperately need a new majority in the legislature. One that is truly willing to address these issues which for too long have been swept under the rug. All while our citizenry is poisoned.
The next day I had the pleasure of getting to meet with my opponent Peter Leishman. I reached out to both Peter and Ivy Vann when I decided to run for office. I met briefly with Ivy at Aesops Tables last month, but we didn’t get to discuss the campaign or why I was running for office. Peter responded to my email and offered to buy me dinner at Harlows. We had a two hour long dinner and a wide ranging conversation. About who we are, our families, and of course, our politics. It was a pleasure getting to meet him for the first time. He has been in office for 24 years. As I remarked to him at dinner, that’s longer than I’ve been alive. “Don’t ever tell me that again!” He quipped in response. He didn’t outright attempt to dissuade me from running but he did reinforce the fact that the legislature can be a full time commitment. That there are weeks where you may need to be in the legislature all five working days. I was aware of the time commitment, and luckily my job being hybrid allows me the flexibility to accommodate the odd legislative schedule.
He is someone who the town can be proud of as their Representative. I’m not sure I should be endorsing any of my two opponents but I do want to say that Peter Leishman saw that a nineteen year old kid was running against him in the primary, and instead of writing him off or getting upset - he accepted my invitation to meet, and bought me dinner. That speaks to the kind of character I would like to emulate if I am privileged to win this election.
With August comes the annual Granny D walk and rally. Since 2015, OpenDemocracy, a voting rights and campaign finance reform organization in the State, honors Dorris Haddock. A woman who while in her 90s, marched across America as a protest to the corporate capture of our campaign finance system. She started at her house in Dublin and just kept walking. She showed us the strength of character necessary to fight back against the system in a nonviolent way that reengages people. She got national attention and people joined her, because they too want a fair campaign system. Those that had the privilege of knowing Doris hold this event in her honor. Walking from her house in Dublin to Depot Square in Peterborough. I helped make some signs, and of course, walked the 6 miles to Depot Square. The day of the walk on Saturday the 13th was a beautiful day. Sun shining, people upbeat. It is a day of camaraderie and conversation.
The next day I heard Maggie Fogarty speak about immigration at the Lyceum, and after that went to the Hillsborough Democrats County picnic to eat a dry burger and converse with my fellow candidates. Lots of meetings with voters, a couple of different rallies. Going to Night Market and glad-handing. Participating in the annual Peterborough Democrats bake sale. Getting endorsed by a close friend of mine from high school, Reagan Riffle.
Run, run, running my heart out - and loving every minute of it.
The Peterborough League of Women Voters traditionally held debates for the elections in town, but I was informed this month that they would be ‘keeping their powder dry’ and waiting to host a debate until the general election. I won’t play games, that did hurt. There is a competitive election between the three of us running for the State House in Hillsborough’s 33rd district. The people who will cast their vote in the September Primary election deserve to know who they are voting for can face the challenge of a debate between opponents. The primary election determines who the people on the general election ballot will be, and in a district that leans so heavily to one side, the primary in many ways determines who our Representatives will be. Waiting until the general election restricts the electorates’ ability to participate in the process which will determine the two people most likely to win the general election.
When you are slighted, or feel slighted, it is not productive to wallow in it. So rather than whine about it online, I chose to take action. I reached out to Christopher DiLoreto, who I knew ran what he called the “Peterborough Parley” for the town elections before. He accepted the offer to organize a parley for the Democratic primary without hesitation, and said that he would handle it from there. Finding a time that worked for all the candidates, reaching out to the library to book the space, and organizing a solid conversation with community input and probing questions of all. He wrote up a questionnaire which was sent out to all the candidates for us to file prior to the debate. The answers to which can be found on GoMonadnock’s website. He used those questionnaires to formulate the questions asked in the debate.
We debated on the last day in August, in the 1833 room at the library at 1800 hours. I enjoyed every minute of it. The three of us had our disagreements but they were respectful. There were a few moments where it felt as though we were the three bowls of porridge on the table, with the audience as our Goldilocks. One of them too cold, the other too hot, and I’m sitting there in the middle, just right.
In all seriousness the three of us each had moments where we were too cold, too hot, or just right. It was a fantastic display of the differences that exist between those running, and the fact that we can articulate those differences without malice.
The video of the debate can be found online, but I will have to find a link to it and post it elsewhere on the website. Only 13 days until the election. My signs are out. If I haven’t knocked your door and you’re reading this call me, and I will get to your door. It has been an honor participating in this process and meeting so many incredible people in this community that I am proud to call home.
Until next month,