The state GOP got thrown for two loops last week. On Tuesday, Republican State Committee Chairman Warren Henderson resigned. Two days later, former congressional candidate Sean Mahoney - the consensus replacement favorite among party leaders - told the GOP brass that he didn't have time to take the post this year, though he's willing to help out more with fundraising.
Now what?…
February 5, 2006
(Originally published March 13, 2005)It wasn't much of a surprise to see Kathy Sullivan, chairwoman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, sitting in the back of the courtroom at Chuck McGee's sentencing last week. Sullivan has been bird-dogging the "phone jamming" fiasco from day one.
December 7, 2005
The most recent entrant to the state's gambling debate is searching for a louder voice in New Hampshire politics.
Millennium Gaming, a Las Vegas-based casino management company, is shopping around for some lobbying muscle in Concord. You may recall that Millennium signed a purchase option at Rockingham Park in Salem earlier this year. That sale spurred speculation that the track…
October 30, 2005
Nothing like a natural disaster to bring together a bunch of politicians. The state's political leaders joined forces in helping southwestern New Hampshire rebound from the storm. Gov. John Lynch, Senate President Ted Gatsasand House Speaker Doug Scamman teamed up for tours of the region throughout the week.
On Thursday, the trio relayed their impressions to about 100 lawmakers…
October 16, 2005
When the Legislature's gay marriage commission voted last week to endorse a constitutional amendment prohibiting same-sex marriage, it surprised a lot of people. It also renewed a debate about what the heck this panel is all about anyhow.
October 9, 2005
Executive Councilor Ray Burton stood his ground last week, turning his North Country turf into a political Alamo that he vowed to defend against the onslaught of southern tier criticism.
October 2, 2005
State House rumormongers, this reporter included, lost another subject of good gossip last week when Gov. John Lynch nominated Kelly Ayotte to a full term as attorney general. Ayotte's future had been in doubt since March, when her official term expired and Lynch announced he was interviewing possible replacements.
Why did this particular story spur so much interest?
September 25, 2005
The boot that kicked Sen. Tom Eatonfrom power was laced by many hands. Among the most subtle: congressional aspirations.
Many of the Republicans who forced Eaton to resign as Senate president Friday have flirted with the idea of running for New Hampshire's 2nd District seat when its current occupant, Rep. Charlie Bass, steps down.
The State House rumor mill has Sens. Bob Odell,…
September 11, 2005
It's been a rough year for the State House lobbying corps.
First, lobbyists were among the culprits whose generosity led to the downfall of former House speaker Gene Chandler, after questions arose about Chandler's failure to disclose the name of his campaign contributors. More recently, there was that mysterious unnamed…
August 28, 2005
When the New Hampshire Retirement Board meets Tuesday, it could shine some more light on the allegations surrounding Chairman Ed Theobald.
Theobald attracted all kinds of attention last week, after news reports that both the retirement board and Gov. John Lynch were unhappy with his involvement with a startup company called Hermes that was seeking a piece of the $5 billion retirement…
August 7, 2005
It's tumbleweed time in the State House these days, with most lawmakers staying far away from Concord for the time being. But New Hampshire's political engine never shuts off completely, as was clear from some developments last week in both state and presidential campaigns.
July 31, 2005
Surprise, surprise. Who would have guessed that the biggest battleground in this year's budget would be E-ZPass?
That's right, E-ZPass - the automated toll collection system that, it seems, every state but New Hampshire implemented eons ago. As if school funding and Medicaid reform weren't enough to set off partisan firestorms, politicians are now feuding over tokens.
June 26, 2005
Long before John Lynch agreed to run for governor, Mary Louise Hancock had a plan: get him to enter the race, get him elected and get herself a sweet 85th birthday party at Bridges House.
After yesterday, she's three for three.
June 19, 2005
Republican senators tripped up Gov. John Lynch's efforts to repeal the statewide property tax when a last-minute majority passed Manchester Sen. Ted Gatsas's formula. It's pretty different from the plan the House passed earlier this spring, so lawmakers now have three options: adopt the Senate's plan, toss it out or…
June 12, 2005
