NH election 2022: Ward vs. Forbes for Portsmouth Ward 4 state rep. seat

Incumbent Democratic state Rep. Gerald W.R. Ward is being challenged by Republican Alan Forbes for the New Hampshire House seat representing Rockingham County District 27 (Portsmouth Ward 4).

Alan Forbes

Hometown: Portsmouth

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?

Abortion is a contentious issue with heart-felt opinions held across the spectrum. I'm thankful that the Supreme Court returned the issue to the states because opinion clusters vary widely across the country. State lawmakers should talk to as many of their constituents as possible, and vote in a way that reflects the thoughts of the people they represent. Even in states that decide to ban abortion entirely, a position I do not support, there should always be exceptions to protect the life of the mother. Here in N.H. we already have laws protecting abortion for the first two trimesters, the same as Massachusetts. Whether this law is something my voters will want to change or leave alone remains to be seen as it's relatively new in N.H. But I will listen to them!

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?

Some of these issues, particularly the cost of fuel and electricity (generated by fuel) are the result of national policy failures, not state ones, so there is not much a state rep. can do about them other than reduce any taxes that might impact their prices anywhere along the supply chain in N.H. Inflation is also a national policy failure, unfortunately. The cost of housing is at the intersection of supply and demand. The state can work to increase the supply of housing by making it easier for investors to build new housing. For instance, the state could lower the requirement to front 25% cash on new projects to 15% to 20%. That would enable more projects to get started, or to happen at once. The demand for housing is what it is because people from other states see how awesome New Hampshire is, have more options for remote work, and want to move here. The nicer a place is, the more demand there will be from people who want to live there so the Seacoast and Lakes Region go up first. Enforcing "affordable" housing is not the solution; every public housing project I've seen is a disaster because the incentive structure is wrong. Private property owners care greatly about their homes, but public housing residents (generally) do not. When you group a lot of people who don't care about their homes into one place, those people tend not to reach their potential. "Something for nothing" hurts the human spirit.

What else do you want voters to know about you or your policy positions before the election on Nov. 8?

I am concerned about the future of women's sports as we see sport after sport come to be dominated by biological men who identify as women. My fiancée is an impressive athlete with a closet full of medals reflecting a lifetime of hard work. She has competed in bicycle races up Mount Washington against other world-class athletes. The top male rider typically beats the top female rider by as many as 20 minutes. Even with the months of training she typically invests in preparing for the race, she has no chance of shaving 20 minutes off her time. When she races, she does so to win. Had a biological man competed against her, she'd have no chance of winning. That simply isn't right. Trans women deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, but they have no place competing in sports against biological women. There's a reason why male and female golfers tee off from different places. Allowing trans women to compete in women's sports is grossly unfair to women, and highly dispiriting to them. If you love women, like I do, let them have their own sports.

Gerald W.R. Ward

Hometown: Portsmouth

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?

Lawmakers should stay out of a woman's healthcare decisions. Placing a ban on abortions in the state budget as an end run around normal legislative practice was a shameful act on the part of N.H. Republicans. The impact that this measure has on women facing a host of serious health complications related to nonviable pregnancies has alerted the public to the dangers these laws pose for women of child-bearing age. The right of women to face the difficult private decision to have an abortion, in consultation with their physicians, needs to be codified into law nationally and, at the least, in N.H. The Republican position that "late-term" abortions are routine is just disinformation. Any abortion late in a pregnancy is only considered in cases of a dire emergency that are well beyond the scope of the General Court to decide. N.H. has always been a pro-choice state in the spirit of N.H.'s emphasis on liberty. N.H. voters recently passed by an overwhelming majority an amendment to the state Constitution enshrining the right to privacy. We cannot let a faction of extremists undermine those rights with proposals that not only ban all abortions, even in cases of rape, incest, or jeopardy to the life of the mother, but also take away the right to contraception and the right to marry whoever you love. These extremists are trying to force us back to the late-19th century. In truth, these bans are shameful attempts to control and subjugate women socially and economically.

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?

Republicans have consistently blocked Democratic legislation that would address rising energy prices and climate change. Republicans have voted repeatedly to keep us reliant on fossil fuels rather than to incorporate domestic renewable energy. N.H. citizens are now paying the price for Republican indifference with the highest energy rates in New England. The current crisis in the Ukraine points out the urgency of energy independence. We cannot be diverted from our support for democracy around the world because of our dependence on foreign oil and the machinations of the OPEC nations. Developing renewable energy sources in our state would strengthen our economy and provide high-paying jobs. The Sununu failure to address these issues is a prime reason for the high rate of inflation in our area. I have supported legislation introduced by Democratic lawmakers (voted down by Republicans or vetoed by Gov. Sununu) aimed at making N.H. more attractive to working families. Measures that will be proposed again include raising the minimum wage, preventing the payment of subminimum wages, establishing paid family and medical leave plans, requiring pay for sick time, and strengthening public education. We need to attract and keep young people and families in N.H.; these measures will keep us competitive with neighboring states. To ease the housing shortage, I have supported Democratic legislation that would provide incentives for affordable housing and train zoning and planning boards.

What else do you want voters to know about you or your policy positions before the election on Nov. 8?

I am running again for state representative to maintain traditional N.H. values in the face of an extremist Republican faction aimed at destroying the very values we hold dear. This faction of lapsed libertarians, so-called “free staters,” and MAGA Republicans has eradicated the old-school Republican party. These extremists are bent on taking us back to the mid-19th century. I first ran for state office because of the shameless Republican assault on public education. Those attempts are still underway. The most egregious example is the unconstitutional Republican voucher program designed to funnel your tax money to private religious schools. These schools can ignore science and civics, pick and choose their students, employ uncertified teachers, and otherwise help establish a theocracy in the 21st century. These extremists also pushed through an attachment to the state budget that prohibits teaching “divisive” concepts, otherwise known as American history. We need to maintain our strong public schools, accessible to all and dedicated to intellectual inquiry. I have consistently voted to sustain our tradition of free, fair, and open elections in the face of Republican efforts to suppress the vote, especially among young voters. This was particularly important in the 2021-22 session, when lies about the 2020 election were pushed shamelessly by MAGA Republicans. We need a Democratic majority in the legislature and a governor who will support true N.H. values. I humbly ask for your vote.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: NH election 2022: Ward vs. Forbes for Portsmouth Ward 4 state rep.