New Hampshire is a battleground state for the presidential candidates. U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte faces one of the toughest re-election contests in the country. Both seats in Congress are on the ballot. Granite Staters will choose a new governor, executive councilors and all 24 state senators and 400 House members.
To be sure, residents will be slammed by television advertisements, robo-calls, fliers, canvassing and mailings full of self-promotion and mudslinging. Voters must find a way to cut through all the political noise and make an informed decision. But how?
Here’s a start. Just ask yourself: Who’s behind all these ads and political activity? The answers are important, especially this year on the statewide level, as deep-pocketed special interests and organizations, disillusioned with the presidential candidates and a do-nothing Congress, have apparently determined they can get more bang for their buck on the local level, focusing on down-ballot elections. That may be true – but be aware.
Consider the conservative billionaires, the Koch brothers, who founded the nonprofit Americans for Prosperity, which has chapters in 34 states, including New Hampshire. As the Monitor’s Allie Morris reported, AFP-NH targeted members of the state Senate and House this spring for various votes. AFP staffers and volunteers were seen going door to door with fliers aimed at a House candidate they said voted with “big labor” to kill right-to-work legislation.
“Issue advocacy” is both conservative and liberal territory. For example, America Votes, a “progressive” nonprofit with 400 national partners, a Concord office and a dozen New Hampshire-based members, will focus in 2016 on “vital issues and elections down-ballot.” The governor’s race is their big priority.
The word “issue” is important. These groups have IRS tax-exempt status as 501(c)4 nonprofit “social welfare” organizations, which means they are not required to publicly disclose their donors or report their expenditures in time for election season scrutiny. That’s because, according to the IRS, their focus is on the “common good” and political activity is not their “primary” purpose. That seems like nonsense.
Campaign spending watchdogs call it “dark money.” According to the Center for Responsive Politics, groups with secret donors spent more $300 million in the 2012 presidential election cycle.
Transparency is just about all a conscientious voter has left to counter big-money politics. Voters have the right to know who’s bankrolling these groups, and they are owed timely reports on how the money is spent.
Linda Fowler, a professor of government at Dartmouth College and longtime election observer, offered some practical advice for voters who want to evaluate what they see and hear. Be skeptical of organizations that have “America” or “Americans” in their name. As Fowler sees it, they are using patriotic language to persuade you that their way is the nation’s way, when it’s just their way. Give more importance to advertisements endorsed by the individual candidates – as in “I’m Bernie Sanders and I approved this message.” At least you know who’s talking. Same goes for ads paid for by groups such as the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee or the Republican National Committee. It is clear those groups are aligned with certain partisan principles. Contrast ads, comparing the candidates, contain the most information, even if it is slanted, Fowler told us. Those negative ads may grab your attention, but the positive ads are worth watching. Beyond the fluff, they highlight traits the candidate thinks are important. You might connect.
We are reminded that, in New Hampshire, campaigns at any level have always been about face-to-face contact. Go to a campaign event, meet the candidates, get together with your neighbors, send emails or write letters to the editor. At least, be aware of who is talking at you. And then speak for yourself – with your vote.