Guest Blog Post: State Senator Bob Clegg
An Insider's View on Taking Back New Hampshire
by Senator Bob Clegg
As the 2008 general election draws ever nearer, the eyes of the nation will turn once again to those handful of states deemed "swing states" and once again one of those will be our state of New Hampshire. Having been one of only three states to change its color from the 2000 election to the 2004 election, we will be closely watched as the country tries to gauge which direction the coveted independent vote will go this cycle.
New Hampshirites are strong-willed, independent voters who don't take kindly to people telling us what to do. Nowhere is this more evident than when you look at how we have voted over the past 8 years. In 2000, we delivered New Hampshire to then-Governor Bush by 1%, voted for a Democrat Governor, and both congressional districts went to Republicans. In 2004, we delivered New Hampshire to our neighboring Democrat Senator, John Kerry, by 1% (9,000 votes), voted for a Democrat Governor, a Republican Senator, and 2 Republican congressmen.
Both of our congressional seats are now occupied by Democrats, but I believe the voters of New Hampshire will deliver them back to the Republicans this year, with John McCain leading the way. This is not because we both have an "R" next to our names; this is because John McCain and I truly represent the mind-set of New Hampshire voters. In 2004, 44% of New Hampshire voters identified themselves as "independent". John McCain is the quintessential independent candidate. In the 2000 primary, New Hampshire voters chose John McCain. In the 2008, there was a new set of wheels put on "The Straight Talk Express" and Senator McCain was propelled down the road to yet another victory in the first-in-the-nation primary.
The Republican Party suffered in New Hampshire in 2004 partly because our voters wanted to see some resemblance of fiscal responsibility in our President. This is the same reason why New Hampshire will reject the almost $1 trillion in new spending proposed by Barack Obama, and will reject the all too common flip-flops of the current congress. We need to look no further than Barack Obama's recent decision to not participate in the public finance system as he had previously pledged, because it is now what's best for him politically.
Being independent also means doing away with partisanship. Senator John McCain has a long history of being criticized by both the far Left or far Right, a clear sign that he is trying to get things done for the American people and that he is not beholden to either one of two labels that make-up the vast majority of American politics; labels that almost 1 in 2 New Hampshirites reject themselves.
Not only do I want to keep our country safe from terrorists and reduce our dependency on foreign oil, but I want to go to Washington to reign in out of control spending and to bring New Hampshire values to the halls of Congress. This is more than about being a Republican or a Democrat; this is about telling Washington that it is about time they get their act together, no matter which side of the aisle they sit on. It is about telling them that those are our tax dollars, so if they don't need to spend them they need to give them back to their rightful owners. It is about going to Washington and actually changing the culture instead of having the culture change people, as is all too common.
In an election that is supposed to be about winning the independent vote, it only makes sense that New Hampshire will be watched closely. Here in New Hampshire we take this role very seriously. We have already voted for John McCain, and against Barack Obama, once this year. Let's do it again in
November, and send to Washington, people who know how to get something done. I look forward to having an office on Capitol Hill and working to make sure New Hampshire's independent spirit and common sense are well represented in a place that needs it most.
Please visit my website at http://www.cleggforcongress.com to join my campaign to take back New Hampshire's Second Congressional District. [Ed. note: Sen Clegg's GraniteGrok Q & A series interview here.]
Comments
Posted by: Bob | July 1, 2008 8:14 AM