In New Hampshire’s 17th State Senate district, a seasoned elected official and a political newcomer both view their backgrounds as an asset.
As the two men vie to represent the people of Allenstown, Loudon and Pembroke, among other municipalities east of Concord, their approaches to housing and national politics have proved to be just as dissimilar.
For incumbent Howard Pearl, a Republican, his decade of experience in the Legislature and lifelong residence in the Granite State have made him a skilled communicator.
“Learning how to have those conversations in the beginning, as you’re thinking about a concept and working that through the process, it just makes it go so much more smoothly if you can kind of see some of the … areas that may be troublesome in the beginning,” Pearl said, describing the effort to turn a bill into law. “And I think that experience has helped me to be very effective as a senator for my district [and] all the communities I represent.”
Challenger Bob Lawliss, a Democrat, said his diverse resume — with stints in health care, the armed forces and engineering, in municipalities across New England — has provided a better understanding of his would-be constituents.
“I think a wide variety of experiences — a wide variety of places you lived, people you’ve met, people you’ve worked closely with — is important if you’re going to represent a wide swath of people,” he said.
As legislators consider solutions to New Hampshire’s rising housing costs, Pearl said he believes the state should override local will only when there are no better options.
“I want to make sure we’re preserving landowner rights,” Pearl said. “I want to make sure we’re preserving our community control the best we can, and that’s kind of the lens that I look through as I view these issues that come forward.”
For Lawliss, the path to affordable housing includes “compromise with local zoning and planning boards, maybe some grants for revising zoning restrictions, some requirements to help speed up approvals, allowing vacant offices to be used.”
“We need to work in a bipartisan way, I think, on this,” he said. “Those things affect not just my area, but the entire state.”
In a district that has historically voted red, Lawliss faces an uphill battle. His plea to voters hinges on the promise to challenge Republican governance in the era of President Trump.
“Are you happy with the way the party of Donald Trump and all the people who support Donald Trump and the entire Republican establishment at this point — are you happy with the way that they’re behaving, legislating?” Lawliss said. “Do you think they’re doing it in your interests? Because what I would try to do is work in the interests of people here in New Hampshire.”
Even as Trump calls on voters to make this midterm election a referendum on the presidency, Pearl said state and federal offices should stand on their own merit.
“One thing that troubles me is I watch these ads that are on TV, there’s certainly a big push to try and tie federal issues down to state elected offices. To me, changing leadership in New Hampshire because you’re upset with policy in D.C. is just nonsensical,” Pearl said. “We’re doing a great job here in New Hampshire, and I believe our voters know that.”