As I was standing outside the polls, holding my political signs, a voter passed by me and asked, “Is this where I take back my government?” The answer was a resounding “yes.”
New Hampshire voters elected a Democratic House, Senate, Executive Council, and congressional delegation. President Donald Trump urged his supporters to vote Republican; he was rejected in the Granite State. Gov. Chris Sununu encouraged his supporters to elect Republican legislators in order to continue his priorities of school vouchers to private schools, no commuter rail, high tension power wires of the Northern Pass, to name a few; his priorities were rejected. Now, we have in the House 233 Democrats and 167 Republicans. In the Senate, we have 14 Democrats and 10 Republicans. In the Executive Council, we have three Democrats and two Republicans.
Do mid-term elections matter? You bet they do. Voters are upset with the direction of the state and nation. They expressed their frustration with their vote. They took back their government. Now, the majority needs to be strategic in our legislative initiatives. We cannot let the excitement of the moment blind us from laying a foundation for the future.
I remember my disappointment the day after the 2016 election. I understand what the Republican legislators must be feeling. Those of us in the majority party need to seek out the common ground that we share and move such issues forward in a bipartisan manner. Those moderate Republicans, who were berated during the last session by the extreme conservative wing of the Republican caucus, can now relax and act on their conscience and moral spirit.
Rep. MEL MYLER
Contoocook