We are living through history. At no time in my life have I experienced what we have witnessed in National politics over the last few weeks? An assassination attempt on a former President and the nominee of our Republican party, a coup against the sitting President by his own Democratic party when facing the inevitable prospect of defeat, and the coronation of a Vice President who polled at 1% during her own run for President as the candidate they put forth to lead their party. Crazy times.
On a state level, things are not copacetic either. A field of candidates for Governor and Congress has polarized Republican voters, and it’s been, to say the least, contentious. The State Senate and House of Representative races include many incumbents and new candidates looking to make a name for themselves. This inevitably leads to primaries in many cases where there probably shouldn’t and some well-deserved ones as well. Once again, it’s an interesting year for politics, and the stakes have never been higher for NH or this country.
A recent poll found that Kamala Harris leads in the polls over former President Donald Trump in NH, and if that is true, I am truly frightened about what that means for the future of our state. The importance of getting the right candidates elected has never been more important in protecting our state in the unfortunate event the Democrats manage to pull off a miracle.
We want to thank Jeff Roy for this Contribution. Submit yours to steve@granitegrok.com
Regardless of whatever happens on a National level, our state and local elections matter even more. A strong Republican-controlled state can protect us from policies the left may want to force upon us. Individual States have power, and Republicans need to retain that power.
I can’t stress enough the importance of doing the proper research on the background of the candidates running for office. It’s unfortunate, but I’ve noticed a trend lately and I don’t like it. With Trump’s popularity surging (despite what NH polls say) it seems some have taken to riding the wave of popularity and Trump’s coat tails (potentially) into office just by claiming they are the “MAGA” candidate. I have recently seen a candidate’s signs stacked with a Trump sign on top. Another candidate recently had signs printed with their name and the Trump/Vance campaign sign all bundled into one sign. It’s an attempt by these candidates to outMAGA the other MAGA candidate.
I can understand the lure of wanting to be associated with the MAGA movement we all want to Make America Great Again. If you can’t run without invoking Trump’s name, you need to question your messaging and whether you should even be running at all, especially in our state that saw over 40% of Republican primary votes go to Nikki Haley. I have more respect for those running on their own merit, records and messaging instead of ripping off a political icon by stealing their trademark thumbs up or raised fist, it’s not flattering, it’s obnoxious. Develop your own brand.
Don’t be fooled by these wannabes. A good candidate will stand on their own. Ask the tough questions, and don’t be afraid to dig into candidates. Ask them what they are going to do for New Hampshire. If they are an incumbent, then ask them what they have done for New Hampshire. We deserve the best and brightest. Every candidate needs to be vetted. Whether they support Trump or otherwise, if they don’t conform to your values or interests don’t vote for them. It’s your vote, we only get one, choose wisely. Donald Trump is only one man, and he will do great things for our country, but he can’t do it alone. We need an army of conservatives to keep NH from becoming one of our liberal border states. Some candidates may claim to be MAGA, but do they really have what it takes to keep NH free? Don’t fall for the labels, do the research and may the best candidates win, our state depends on it.
