“Spank’em when they’re wrong but thank’em when they do right.” So yes, I have to be nice to NH Governor Chris Sununu (on a preliminary basis – the NH House hasn’t voted on SB272 yet but has passed the Senate) on this news:
Gov. Chris Sununu this week came closer to embracing controversial parental rights legislation, saying he’s “generally in favor” of a bill that faces a showdown vote soon in the House of Representatives.
“I give the (state) Senate a lot of credit, they listened, they heard a lot of the advocacy, there were concerns, they have made sure their bill addresses a lot of that. I am generally in favor of it in its current form,” Sununu said on Monday.
However, while he may be indicating that he’s willing to pick up his pen and put his John Hancock on SB272, what about the House Republicans that have consistently voted against such bills but have made it clear during election seasons that they are BIG coattail riders of his?
“This is a better bill; it has legal standing and is on firmer ground,” said Sununu, who is considering a presidential run in 2024.
“I strongly believe conceptually in a parental bill of rights.”
And why the switch in his stance? I think the reason why is obvious, given his running around the nation to get his face in front of every network camera he can in advance of a possible 2024 Presidential run:
While some confirmed and potential GOP White House rivals cite parental rights as a pivotal national issue, Sununu said he is looking at it solely through the lens of whether the change is right for New Hampshire.
I’m not convinced about that last bit. First, all this is doing is consolidating into one place the Rights that the Supreme Court has already confirmed. I think it is finally registering that, along with all of the other Left-leaning actions he’s done here in NH (the “smack’em” bit), those aren’t helping him. Pivoting from last year’s stance is part of an effort for him to gain the traction that, thus far, he’s failed to get.
I know he and his cohort are looking at the polls going “what else do I have to do to start getting some recognition???”. He’s not learning the very public lesson that Vivek Ramaswamy is demonstrating as Vivek is doing the same running around – and running circles around Sununu in campaigning around NH like a speed demon where Sununu is Governor. While Sununu is still talking both sides of the mouth, Vivek is saying the the stuff about the critical Culture War that IS the battlefield of the upcoming election and it now beating him in the polls at 5% to 1%. Both Youngkin (who won his Governorship on the Culture War but not running for Prez) and DeSantis (who got a larger margin of victory by fighting Wokeness but odds are his IS running for Prez) are other examples that are already showing Sununu he’s loosing out.
Back to “His Ardent State Rep Supports Do That Keep Voting Against Parental Rights?” bit in the title. Sununu’s pivot is going to put them into a bit of a bind (IF the behind the scenes arm twisting by Sununu is absent this time around) – vote like they have in the past? Will the latter continue to put Government over Parents, contra the NH GOP Platform?
We believe that the liberty of parents to direct the upbringing, healthcare, education, and wellbeing of their children is a fundamental right. Decisions in regards to the upbringing, healthcare, education, and wellbeing of children should be the free choice of parents, acting on the children’s behalf, unimpeded by intrusive government regulation and control.
We do have history to the contrary. Last Year, Steve did a deep dive on those Republicans that either voted against HB1431 or “took a walk” (meaning the voted against it by not voting at all. The “took a walk” means that they either weren’t present or were outside the Hall of Reps when the vote was taken).
This Year on HB10 (the House version of Parental Rights), the following Republicans voted against it. The first two (from Belknap County) each gathered thousands of Union based PAC money via Brodie DeShaies:
- Mike Bordes (R-Laconia)
- Travis O’Hara (R-Belmont)
Add to those two, other Parent haters:
- Mark Proulx (R-Manchester)
- Dan Wolf (RINO – Newbury. In fact, THE RINO of the NH House – why does he run as a Republican???
The current Republican majority is only 4 seats. You can do the math to figure out how just 1,2, or 3 votes will do to Parents – and continue to put Government/Teachers unions over Parents?
The dilemma for them, especially in the case of Bordes who has made it VERY clear that he’s buddy-buddy with Sununu. Will these folks, especially Bordes and O’Hara pivot their votes to Yay to stay in Sununu’s good graces? Or are they will be part of a continuing subterfuge to torpedo Parents again?
(H/T: Union Leader)
