Well, it’s “the day after” and the election results are mixed in the State of New Hampshire. While it was a good night for Democrats at the top of the ticket, Republicans made significant gains in lower offices.
Hassan defeats Havenstein
With just under ninety percent of precincts reporting, Governor Margaret Wood Hassan, who sounded an awful lot like a candidate for the U S Senate in two thousand sixteen in her victory speech last night, has about a twenty thousand vote lead over G O P challenger and first time candidate Walt Havenstein.
Shaheen: Going back to Washington
Incumbent Democrat Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Health Care Queen, bested former Bay State Senator Scott Brown in a race that Brown didn’t concede until nearly Midnight. Fewer than fifteen thousand votes separate the two with eighty eight percent of precincts reporting.
Kuster: Reelected
Congresswoman Ann McLane Kuster, who outspent Republican rival Marilinda Garcia by five to one, leads by roughly twenty thousand votes with eighty nine percent of precincts having reported.
Guinta: Can use same official picutre
Former Republican Congressman Frank Guinta won the rubber match with Democrat incumbent Carol Shea Porter. With eighty eight percent of the precincts reporting, Guinta leads by about six thousand votes.
Obviously, there’ll be discussion about this during this morning’s show.
Senate: Chamber now under GOP control
Nationally, the Republicans have picked up seven seats in the Senate, taking Democratic seats in Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Montana, North Carolina, South Dakota and West Virginia. The Commonwealth of Virginia is headed for a recount with a mere six tenths of one percent separating incumbent Democrat Mark Warner from G O P challenger Ed Gillespie. Results in Alaska are still being tabulated and the Senate race in Louisiana’s headed for a runoff in December. Incumbent Republicans ended up winning by comfortable margins, despite polling to the contrary in a number of races.
Congress: GOP adds to majority
In the House of Representatives, the Republicans have picked up at least thirteen seats and lost just one for a net gain of twelve, bringing their majority to sixty eight members.
GOP wins big in governor races
Republicans also picked up four governorships, all of them in the Democratic strongholds of Massachusetts, Maryland, Illinois and Arkansas, while losing in Pennsylvania. The nation’s states will now be governed by at least thirty one G O P governors, with races still too close to call in Connecticut, Colorado, Alaska and Vermont, where a second Republican on the ballot appears to have siphoned off enough votes to give incumbent Democrat Governor Shumlin another win.
News from our own backyard continues after this.
State Races dominated by GOP
Locally, incumbents in the State Senate were returned to the State House. In races our listening area, the open seats went to Gary Daniels, Republican from Milford in District Eleven Seat. Regina Birdsel, Republican from Hampstead won the District Ninteen seat and Jerry Little Republican from Weare won in District 8.
Sanborn: Survives nasty campaign
Incumbents Andy Sanborn of Bedford in District Nine, Sharon Carson of Londonderry in District Foruteen, David Boutin of Hooksett in District sixteen, John Reagan of Deerfield in District seventeen Donna Soucy of Manchester in District eighteen and Lou D’Allesandro of Manchester in District twenty were reelected. The G O P picked up at least one state senate seat as Kevin Avard defeated incumbent Peggy Gilmore in District Twelve.
Vaillancourt: Called Kuster “ugly as sin,” loses seat
The House of Representatives has changed hands, too. While the final numbers aren’t known yet, it’s pretty clear the Republicans made significant gains in the house and could end up with two hundred fifty seats in the General Court. Of note in Manchester, Steve Vaillancourt went down to an ugly (ahem) defeat in Ward eight, Tammy Simmons regained a seat in Ward 10, and Victoria Sullivan beat the odds in a heavy Democratic turnout to win in Ward nine.
Hogan: Back on top
In county races, Patricia Conway was elected County Attorney in Rockingham County and Dennis Hogan ousted Patricia LaFrance in the race for Hillsborough County Attorney. Leo Bernier went down to defeat to Toni Pappas for County Commissioner and there won’t be a new Sheriff in Hillsborough County as James Hardy once again defeated Manchester Alderman Bill Barry.
Wheeler: Reclaims seat,
Executive Councilor Christopher Pappas of Manchester beat challenger Bob Burns of Bedford in District Four and Republican Dave Wheeler of Milford defeated Democrat Diane Sheehan of Nashua to regain the seat he once held in District Five.
Voters kill changes to Tax Cap
In the Queen City, the proposed amendment to the Charter altering the city’s cap on tax revenues and spending went down to defeat.
STEAM Ahead open house announced
STEAM Ahead New Hampshire is hosting an open house on November thirteenth, at it’s host school, Manchester High School West from six to seven thirty. If you’re interested in learning about this innovative program that’s garnered national attention by offering college credits free of charge, internships, the latest technology, coordinated subjects, engineering and technology classes, incorporating the arts, and providing advanced learning opportunities, attend the open house at West High on November thirteenth from six to seven thirty. For more information about the program, visit STEAM Ahead N H dot com.
That’s news from our own backyard; Girard at Large hour ___ is next.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/175476109″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]
