Granite Staters want and expect responsible leadership from their elected officials. This means that regardless of party, you need to step back from ideology and independently decide what’s best for the people of New Hampshire and our state’s future.
We in New Hampshire have a proud history of being a voice of reason – a source of moderation and independence compared to other states. This sense of good judgment shows in our elected officials. We take the time to get out of our comfort zones, talk to all of our constituents, and work with those across the aisle. But since last month’s state primaries, I see that tradition threatened.
The Republican Party has apparently decided to double down on its rigid ideology with its chosen candidates this year, at the expense of helpful political discourse. The likely Republican caucus we’ll see after November’s elections seems determined to set us back decades on issues from women’s health care to infrastructure.
Last session’s legislature was functional only because of a few of our moderate colleagues on the Republican side who recognized the need to put the good of the Granite State above politics. The candidates running to replace them have a simple, worrying message: My way or the highway.
I don’t want to return to the days of a Bill O’Brien-type Legislature in power in Concord. With this incoming GOP caucus, that could easily happen. The extent to which some of the candidates running this year have fallen out of the mainstream is startling.
Let’s start with the most obvious and glaring transgression we’ve seen this year: Londonderry Rep. Al Baldasaro has always been known as someone who likes to fan the flames, however irresponsible that is, but he really crossed a line in August.
As Donald Trump’s veterans council co-chair, Baldasaro espoused his belief that Hillary Clinton “should be put in the firing line and shot for treason.” That statement is many things, but measured and responsible it is not.
More recently, in September, Republican candidate in Laconia Jim McCoole wrote to the Laconia Daily Sun that he has been “hoping that out of the thousands of generals and admirals in our military, that just a small handful would emerge with enough courage and conviction, to take (Barack Obama) into custody.” Apparently treasonous behavior is a-ok in today’s Republican Party, because the NHGOP refused to disavow his candidacy.
This pattern is dangerous. It’s one thing to have political disagreements, but to threaten jail time or summary execution in response to absolutely no indication of criminal behavior is outrageous. It’s irresponsible, and it seriously undermines our democracy.
New Hampshire voters know that the bombast of Trump-style politicians isn’t what serves our state well. That kind of attitude in government only serves to deepen our divisions and harm our burgeoning economy. We’ve already seen this happen in North Carolina – where a Republican governor and legislature have remained stubbornly fixated on their ideology and seen its economy suffer in the process.
Collaboration and innovation have always been the fuel for this country, and New Hampshire prides itself on leading the way – from presidential candidates in our first-in-the-nation primary, to a “Live Free or Die” spirit that keeps us unique. All I see from the Republicans this year is a blind commitment to far-right national talking points driven by Donald Trump and Breitbart News.
People like to say that this country is at a crossroads, and it’s true. There’s more at stake in this election than perhaps ever before. The Republicans have proven too many times over that they aren’t equipped to address this state’s challenges in any meaningful way. Democratic candidates for the House have the drive, passion and instincts to keep our state thriving, and I hope we’ll earn your vote.
(Rep. Steve Shurtleff is the Democratic leader in the New Hampshire House of Representatives.)