NH Primary Source: Republican Stewart Levenson enters District 2 Executive Council race
Physician, former VA whistleblower cites experience, says Democratic council majority is focused on partisan politics
Physician, former VA whistleblower cites experience, says Democratic council majority is focused on partisan politics
New Hampshire Primary Source gives you breaking and behind-the-scenes news and analysis on all things political in the Granite State. John DiStaso is the most experienced political writer in the state and has been writing a weekly column since 1982. He is a recipient of a 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the New Hampshire Press Association. To sign up for WMUR's weekly New Hampshire Primary Source and political email newsletter, which will be delivered to your inbox on Thursday at 6 a.m., click here.
FIRST REPUBLICAN JUMPS IN. After finishing a close second in a 2nd District Congressional District U.S. House primary two years ago, former Veterans Administration whistleblower Dr. Stewart Levenson has become the first Republican to enter the District 2 Executive Council race.
Levenson, a Hopkinton resident, is seeking the seat now held by Democrat Andru Volinsky, who is running for governor
New Hampshire Primary Source first reported Levenson’s interest in the seat back in October. In 2018, making his first run for elective office, he came within 243 votes of becoming the Republican nominee to take on U.S. Rep. Ann Kuster, losing in the primary to Steve Negron.
He’s making it official today with this announcement and a website that is now live.
A former chief of medicine at the Manchester VA Medical Center, Levenson became widely known in the state for exposing poor conditions at the facility in 2017.
In his announcement, shared first with this column, Levenson said that amid the COVID-19 crisis, “the Democrats have allowed national partisan politics to take priority over the needs of our fellow citizens.”
He cited the three-member Democratic council majority’s opposition to Gov. Chris Sununu’s nomination of Attorney General Gordon MacDonald to serve as state Supreme Court chief justice.
“The Democrats on the Executive Council care more about scoring political points against our governor than serving the needs of the people. This must stop,” Levenson said.
He cited his experience as a physician and as an executive managing “multi-million dollar budgets.”
In his current practice, he said,” I have seen the angst in people’s faces and have been able to provide them with comfort and reassurance. My experience during the preparations for the Ebola crisis that fortunately never came to New Hampshire prepared me for the current public health challenges.
“I have proven my integrity by putting New Hampshire’s veterans above my own career interests. I did this by bringing to light issues at the VA that endangered those who served to keep us safe.”
He promised to work tirelessly, if elected, representing his constituents’ interests.
It’s going to be a tough road for Levenson, as it would be for any Republican in the mostly Democratic, so-called “dragon” District 2.
About 42 percent of the voters in the district are independents, while about 32 percent are Democrats and 25 percent are Republicans. Levenson is looking to attract independents and enough Democrats to pull it off.
The district includes the towns of Acworth, Alstead, Barnstead, Belmont, Boscawen, Bradford, Canterbury, Charlestown, Chesterfield, Dublin, Durham, Farmington, Gilmanton, Gilsum, Goshen, Hancock, Harrisville, Henniker, Hinsdale, Hopkinton, Langdon, Lempster, Madbury, Marlborough, Marlow, Nelson, Newbury, Northfield, Rollinsford, Roxbury, Salisbury, Stoddard, Strafford, Sullivan, Surry, Sutton, Unity, Walpole, Warner, Washington, Webster, Westmoreland and Winchester and the cities of Concord, Dover, Franklin, Keene, Rochester, and Somersworth.
PROTECTING MEDICAID EXPANSION. New Hampshire has joined a coalition of states with both Republican and Democratic governors in defense of the Affordable Care Act in a filing with the U.S. Supreme Court. Click here.
GRASSROOTS ENDORSEMENTS. Republican U.S. Senate candidate Donald Bolduc was endorsed this week by a wide range of party activists and former leaders, as well as a law enforcement official and U.S. Marine Corps veteran. Click here.
HIGH MARKS. A third consecutive poll by the University of New Hampshire shows Gov. Chris Sununu with overwhelming support of Granite Staters in his handling of the COVID-19 crisis. Click here.
PUSH POLL OR MESSAGE TESTING? The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t stopped politicking in the Granite State, certainly. And it hasn’t stopped political polling and message testing, either. Click here.
INTERNAL POLL. Republican 1st District U.S. House candidate Matt Mowers’ campaign has been conducting polling, and while it’s being challenged as an illegal push poll by an activist supporting Mowers’ Republican primary opponent, the results show him in a strong early position in the primary race. Click here.
MAYBERRY AD CAMPAIGN. He’s running against a former Trump campaign official and Trump appointee to the State Department, but Matt Mowers has nothing on Matt Mayberry when it comes to supporting the president -- at least, according to Mayberry. Click here.
25 ENDORSEMENTS. Republican 1st District U.S. House candidate Matt Mowers has received endorsements from 25 grassroots activists. Click here.
NEW STATE DIRECTOR. NextGen New Hampshire, a progressive, youth-oriented grassroots political group, has named experienced political operative Emma Tyler as its new state director. Click here.
ACTIVIST ENDORSEMENT. Veteran environmental activist and former state Rep. Dan Weeks has endorsed former state Rep. Mindi Messmer for the District 3 Executive Council seat. Click here.
STEVENS RECEIVES ENDORSEMENTS. Three Republican elected officials, a former lawmaker and two community activists are the latest endorsements for District 2 Executive Council candidate Janet Stevens. Click here.
CAMPAIGN CO-CHAIRS. Republican 2nd District U.S. House candidate Steve Negron has announced a new state campaign co-chair and 25 co-chairs in Hillsborough County. Click here.
(John DiStaso can be reached at jdistaso@hearst.com or distasoj@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jdistaso and on Facebook: Facebook.com/JohnDiStasoWMUR.)