NH election 2022: Eight running for four Hampton state rep. seats
Eight candidates are running for four seats representing Hampton in the state House.
Republicans on the ballot are state Rep. Tracy Emerick, William Jackson, Ken Sheffert, and Bruce Theriault. Democrats running are state Rep. Mike Edgar, Candice O'Neil, Chris Muns, and Matthew Saunders.
Tracy Emerick
Hometown: Hampton
The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade and placed the power to regulate abortion with the states. What should state lawmakers do regarding abortion laws?
The Supreme Court ruling does nothing to the N.H. abortion laws. A woman can have an abortion up to 24 weeks without question. After 24 weeks abortion can occur if the child will not thrive when born.
The state's residents and businesses face many economic challenges, including high prices for electricity and fuel, a labor shortage, a lack of affordable housing and rising prices due to inflation. How would you address these challenges?
Trying to legislate free market forces often backfires on governments. Restriction on fossil fuels at the federal level has created higher gas and electric costs to consumers. Affordable housing is being addressed to some degree with the governor's $100 million support for such housing. The challenge in N.H. is local authorities set guidelines for multi-family construction, often to the detriment of such housing. The ADU was an attempt to expand affordable housing, but it has been marginally successful.
What else do you want voters to know about you or your policy positions before the election on Nov. 8?
That I will continue with my conservative views of smaller, effective and efficient government, respect for family values and freedom for all N.H. residents to make their own decisions. And to thank them for the eight years they have voted for me to serve them.
Mike Edgar
Hometown: Hampton
The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade and placed the power to regulate abortion with the states. What should state lawmakers do regarding abortion laws?
The Supreme Court has now left it up to the states to determine what (if any) restrictions should be placed on abortions. Abortion remains a very controversial topic. Reproductive healthcare should always be between a doctor and patient. Cutting funding to providers like Planned Parenthood undermines preventative care and education. This disproportionately impacts lower-income individuals since Planned Parenthood operates on a sliding scale. But this issue is about much more than unplanned or unwanted pregnancies. The reproductive system is complex and there are myriad complications that can arise without warning or fault of the mother. These complications are tragic and intensely personal scenarios that so many people face each year. We must not restrict safe, supervised procedures by trained professionals, that can save the lives of N.H. citizens when necessary. Access to this type of care has been under attack for years and now Republicans are bypassing the normal legislative process and enacting dramatic changes by inserting them into the budget.
The state's residents and businesses face many economic challenges, including high prices for electricity and fuel, a labor shortage, a lack of affordable housing and rising prices due to inflation. How would you address these challenges?
Labor shortage: I would address the labor shortage by overhauling the work visa program to allow more workers to come into the country to work. This could be seasonal or longterm. We can build on the pilot program introduced this past summer to increase the use of Native American personnel in seasonal positions. I will continue to support for the Community College system to train N.H. residents for jobs here in N.H. Many students have roots in N.H., already work in N.H. and are getting trained for a better job to improve their future and support their families. Electricity and fuel: In the last four years Governor Sununu has vetoed eleven bills and this year the House Republican majority tabled over ten energy-related bills that would have enhanced N.H.’s energy strength. We need to change the House majority and take a more robust approach to long-term energy policies in N.H. Affordable housing: I will support legislation that will address zoning laws that allow for affordable housing at both the state and local level. Rising prices due to inflation: Inflation is affecting us all with those at the lower end of the economic spectrum suffering the most. The U.S. and world are experiencing this inflation as we adjust coming out of a couple years of economic and social disruption from the pandemic. It will take a little longer for the supply chain problems and manufacturing upheaval to settle down. Russia's attack on Ukraine is also affecting inflation.
What else do you want voters to know about you or your policy positions before the election on Nov. 8?
Retirement system: The state contribution to the retirement system for fire-rescue, police and teachers had decreased to zero until last year when I was a co-sponsor on a bill sponsored by Renny Cushing to have the state pay 7.5% of the employer contribution each year, but the Senate approved the change for only one year. I have reintroduced the bill so the town would have the benefit for each year. Education Freedom Accounts (EFA): EFA’s were put in the last budget without going through the legislative process. It greatly expanded the Tax Credit Scholarship Vouchers from a tax credit for businesses, to a program that takes money from the State Education Trust Fund. This is taking public tax dollars and funding non-public education. This could affect the funding that must be raised for the public schools and increase the Local Education tax rate to make up the difference. Attitude: In addition to the funding threat the general negative attitude toward public education is disturbing. A bill was introduced to require teachers to swear to uphold a vaguely worded loyalty oath and a Divisive Concept Ban on teaching some history issues like slavery, racism and several equality issues. School safety: Bill HB1178 prohibits the state from enforcing any federal statute, regulation, or Presidential Executive Order that restrictors or regulates the right of the people to keep and bear arms. Some have great concern that this will allow guns to be carried legally in schools.
William Jackson
Hometown: Hampton
The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade and placed the power to regulate abortion with the states. What should state lawmakers do regarding abortion laws?
N.H. has a very liberal law. The majority favor the first trimester but a small minority want it in the third trimester. I favor making it illegal after the first trimester with the obvious medical exceptions.
The state's residents and businesses face many economic challenges, including high prices for electricity and fuel, a labor shortage, a lack of affordable housing and rising prices due to inflation. How would you address these challenges?
Most of our problems today originally came from the decisions made by the present administration in Washington. At the state level, we could explore tapping into the electricity that goes across our state. We need to keep taxes low to encourage businesses to come to N.H. We could offer businesses some sort of financial help to encourage them to relocate here. Increasing job opportunities helps alleviate the other problems. Free market capitalization.
What else do you want voters to know about you or your policy positions before the election on Nov. 8?
Against illegal immigration, want to keep taxes low, believe in freedom of speech, right to carry firearms, and keep CRT, early sex education, gender training out of the schools. Parents should have a choice in their children’s education. School choice competition will bring about better-educated children.
Chris Muns
Hometown: Hampton
The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade and placed the power to regulate abortion with the states. What should state lawmakers do regarding abortion laws?
As a result of the Supreme Court’s ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade, my wife and adult daughter now have fewer rights than my adult son and me, making them second-class citizens. It is unfortunate that instead of working together to address the shared long-term challenges that impact families across our state, we now need to address this inequity again. Whether to have an abortion is a deeply personal and private decision often made in a time of crisis or under heartbreaking circumstances. Women should be able to make that decision in consultation with their doctor and members of their family and extended support group or – if they choose - on their own. My preference would be that we codify into the law the rights reflected in Roe v. Wade nationally. Women in New Hampshire should be not treated any differently from women in Maine, Mississippi, or California. Women’s reproductive rights should be consistent across our nation. But we cannot wait for Congress to act; we must do everything we can to protect the right of women and families across N.H. to decide for themselves when and how many children they wish to have. Unfortunately, we cannot trust current Republican leaders like Jason Osborne. Almost immediately after sneaking our state’s first-ever abortion ban into the state budget and saying the public should not expect further efforts to tighten state abortion laws, they filed legislation to ban all abortions. I will oppose all such efforts.
The state's residents and businesses face many economic challenges, including high prices for electricity and fuel, a labor shortage, a lack of affordable housing and rising prices due to inflation. How would you address these challenges?
There is little the N.H. legislature can do to address the causes of inflation; anyone who tells you we can is fooling you. What we can do in the short term is offset the impact of higher food, housing, and energy costs by offering temporary state assistance to those who can least afford it. But that won’t help all of us. What will help is avoiding schemes like tax breaks for large multinational corporations and school vouchers for families who are already sending their kids to private and religious schools. Those programs reduce state assistance to our towns and increase our local property taxes. Electricity prices are increasing because the power we purchase is generated using natural gas. What we should have done- and need to do now– is encourage energy efficiency programs and development of alternative sources of energy such as solar power and wind farms. We need more affordable housing units, and we need to do what we can to reduce the underlying costs to construct these units so they can be offered to renters or homeowners at affordable prices. The cost of childcare for a family of two is over $20,000. We should provide construction or startup financing for new childcare businesses and offer supports to offset childcare tuition costs. When those kids grow up, they should be able to go to college or enroll in quality job training programs right here in N.H. N.H. has the lowest level of funding for public higher education nationally. We can certainly do better than that.
What else do you want voters to know about you or your policy positions before the election on Nov. 8?
By the time I left for college, I had lived in 8 houses in 2 states and 3 countries. I never felt like I had a "hometown." I came to Hampton in 1982. This is where I met my wife, where we have lived full-time since 1997 and where we raised our kids who both went to Centre, Marston, Hampton Academy and Winnacunnet schools. This is the hometown I missed growing up and I have tried to give something back to our community. I served on the Winnacunnet School Board between 2012 and 2015 and was chair for two years. I am very proud of the technology plan we developed then that proved so critical these past several years. Between 2012 and 2014 I served as one of Hampton’s N.H. state representatives. I helped draft our state’s first plan to address the challenges posed by climate change and I sponsored a bill to eliminate the practice of paying individuals with disabilities less than the minimum wage. In 2015, I became CEO of One Sky Community Services, a nonprofit providing services to individuals with developmental disabilities; a position I held until retiring in March 2020. I’m running again for state representative because the people of Hampton– and N.H.– deserve better. Too many of our current leaders in the N.H. legislature are focused on narrow extreme ideological issues that do little to address the broader and longer-term challenges we must address to strengthen our community and ensure that all of us in N.H. can reach our full potential. I would appreciate your vote on Nov 8.
Candice O'Neil
Hometown: Hampton
The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade and placed the power to regulate abortion with the states. What should state lawmakers do regarding abortion laws?
While I respect every person's right to have an opinion, it should stop there - I believe that abortion is medical care and feel strongly that only the woman should decide what happens with her body. State lawmakers should take no action that further regulates abortion in New Hampshire.
The state's residents and businesses face many economic challenges, including high prices for electricity and fuel, a labor shortage, a lack of affordable housing and rising prices due to inflation. How would you address these challenges?
As a small business owner and resident of Hampton, I certainly understand that these are challenging times. I would love to see our state tackle the energy and fuel crises with a two-prong approach, addressing the immediate need to stabilize costs while adopting forward thinking strategies for climate resiliency. Affordable housing is a serious concern and directly contributes to our labor shortage - in addition to the lack of housing, the lack of high quality, affordable childcare is also a major contributor. By providing support to increase housing and childcare availability, as well as assisting small business owners to provide much needed paid leave and comprehensive benefits packages, we would widen the talent pool across the state.
What else do you want voters to know about you or your policy positions before the election on Nov. 8?
I am a mom of three young boys in local schools, an attorney, small business owner, and frequent community volunteer. My strength is my ability to bring people together to work towards creative solutions for difficult problems. In addition to the issues highlighted above, I believe strongly in the importance of our public schools, common sense gun safety measures, equitable access to reproductive care, mental health support and addiction services, and initiatives designed to support small businesses and working families.
Ken Sheffert
Hometown: Hampton
The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade and placed the power to regulate abortion with the states. What should state lawmakers do regarding abortion laws?
The states should look back to their historical laws on abortion. If my constituents require modifications or updates in policy, then I will best serve my base.
The state's residents and businesses face many economic challenges, including high prices for electricity and fuel, a labor shortage, a lack of affordable housing and rising prices due to inflation. How would you address these challenges?
Lowering inflation is for government to stop picking their pet issues and their policy stopping people from working by giving away free money. And the Federal Reserve left rates too low for too long and now people are suffering. The cost of government keeps real estate unaffordable. I was a board member for Community Home Solutions that fought home foreclosures. In 1987, a HUD Secretary's decision started the path to home foreclosures. And now the high-interest rates will slow the much-needed new home construction. High schools will have to promote noble trade jobs. The U.S. economic landscape was created admittedly by the Biden administration in their efforts to push their "green new deal" and move Americans away from fossil fuels. Their policies are not supported by the vast majority of Americans and will fail as fossil fuels are used in creating the products we use every day. For instance, you can’t put an electric car on the road and keep it on the road without the use of oil. It takes 7 gallons of oil to produce just one tire.
What else do you want voters to know about you or your policy positions before the election on Nov. 8?
I sponsored a tree trimming bill that is not paid for by taxpayers. The 10 years it has been in place has provided numerous tree company jobs throughout the state and lessened the trees from knocking out power to the communities. The bill has given countless hours of pay for police details or flagging crews. And this bill will continue in the future to help keep tree power outages to a minimum.
Matthew Saunders
Hometown: Hampton
The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade and placed the power to regulate abortion with the states. What should state lawmakers do regarding abortion laws?
My mother worked most of her life at a women's health clinic, and I saw first-hand the protests, the attacks, and the harassment she and her coworkers endured while helping people often in desperate need. I refuse to let the Republicans in the Legislature take us back to those days. First and foremost, we need to trust people to make their own decisions about whether and when to have children. These decisions are best made by the individuals involved and their doctors, not unrelated representatives with their own agendas. The state should have as little involvement as possible in these matters. I will not support any restrictions that go further than what was in place under Roe; a full statewide ban on abortions is clearly unacceptable. If we are to have restrictions on abortion, they need to accommodate the reality that pregnancy is difficult and dangerous at all stages, and sometimes people have to make difficult or impossible choices. Whatever the reason for those choices, they are not the state's to make.
The state's residents and businesses face many economic challenges, including high prices for electricity and fuel, a labor shortage, a lack of affordable housing and rising prices due to inflation. How would you address these challenges?
These issues do not have easy or quick solutions. The right time to address them was before they arose, such as by reducing our outsized reliance on natural gas and heating oil by increasing our use of sustainable energy sources, and building our workforce by making housing more affordable so people can live and work in New Hampshire. Our current Republican leadership has been too slow to take these steps. In the longer term, we can start by investing in the development of a workforce that will be critical in installing and supporting the technologies of tomorrow, including solar, wind, hydroelectric, heat pumps, electric vehicle charging stations. These technologies will create thousands of well-paying jobs, and those workers need to be able to live where they work. We must incentivize cities and towns to speed the approval of workforce housing, and we can't let ideology prevent us from using all available federal funds to move the state forward. In the short term, we must seek more funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and other sources of assistance for people struggling with energy costs. We must also press our utilities to implement policies that avoid future rate increase shocks.
What else do you want voters to know about you or your policy positions before the election on Nov. 8?
One of my priorities is to push back against the attacks on our teachers, administrators, and public schools. Teachers deserve our respect, not baseless accusations of indoctrination, Marxism, or "grooming." We see these attacks not only from the Free Staters in the Legislature and other hard-right activists, but from our own Secretary of Education Frank Edelblut. It is unacceptable, and I will not let it continue. Public schools are the heart of so many of our communities, and it saddens me to see them treated as the enemy. I also plan to push us toward legalization of adult-use marijuana. This is no longer a radical position, but one with real economic and societal benefits. Our neighboring states have already taken this step, and they are reaping the rewards in the form of dozens of new businesses, hundreds of new jobs, and millions in new tax revenues. I refuse to let New Hampshire fall further behind.
Bruce Theriault
Hometown: Hampton
The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade and placed the power to regulate abortion with the states. What should state lawmakers do regarding abortion laws?
States seem to be about equally divided in their take on Roe v. Wade. New Hampshire legislators need to do their job as this is rightfully a state issue and not the purview of the federal government. While some steps have been taken in the interim, I believe that abortion is an issue between a patient and their doctor. I also believe that a person should be aware of the pregnancy within no longer than six weeks and can make a decision within a couple of months as to the viability of continuing that event. Thus, I am in favor of allowing an abortion within 15 weeks of insemination on the advice and consent of a physician.
The state's residents and businesses face many economic challenges, including high prices for electricity and fuel, a labor shortage, a lack of affordable housing and rising prices due to inflation. How would you address these challenges?
The state has already addressed the issue of paying people not to work. That is very important. Small business is the lifeblood of an economy. Costs are up primarily because fuel prices are up. Low-cost energy allows for increased productivity. We have a fossil fuel reservoir in the United States unequalled by any other country. While electric vehicles may be our future, we should use the fuel resources we have under us to create heat for our homes, power for our electricity and power for our vehicles. All at a reasonable cost. When the technology to build alternative-sourced vehicles is less costly and more available than today, the transition will occur gradually and smoothly. To make a shift to electric cars, which are less than ten percent of current vehicles, to be over ninety percent in less than three years is logistically impossible. The shift may take up to a hundred or more years to effect. The ideal solution may not currently exist, but it will by the time this occurs. Affordable housing has always been an issue as people strive to live better than they currently do. Everyone wants a nicer, bigger and better home. Get the energy problem solved and much of these other issues will fade away.
What else do you want voters to know about you or your policy positions before the election on Nov. 8?
That I am deeply concerned about overburdening our children and our children's children with debt that could swallow humanity as we know it. We must curb spending. This is the only state without a sales tax nor income tax. We have shown other states that it can be done. New Hampshire is scenic as anyone who has traveled can attest to. We are in the top ten for safe states, good roads and a favorable place to live. In order to keep it that way we must prevent those who would destroy our way of life by thwarting the Constitution of this great country and state by diminishing the great foundation of citizen participation and genuine pride established by those who have gone before us. I will be a champion of what this country stands for and the pride that most of us have in the freedom that has made us the envy of the world. We are a great country and a great state, we need to preserve and protect it for future generations of our family and friends. I will respect your opinion and welcome discussions of issues. I will be humbled to receive your vote on Election Day, November 8th.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: NH election 2022: Eight running for four Hampton state rep. seats
