Prescott enters crowded 1st C.D. GOP field
May 26—KINGSTON — Former Executive Councilor and state Sen. Russell Prescott became the seventh Republican to announce he's seeking the 1st Congressional District seat this fall.
"I see the problems we are up against and I have the experience. I think I have a good chance of showing the field that I have the leadership qualities," Prescott said during a telephone interview.
"This is what I would bring to Washington and I wouldn't need to have any on-the-job training," he said.
A business owner and professional engineer, Prescott, 61, served five terms in the state Senate and won two of three battles with current U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan for a Seacoast seat at the State House.
In 2016, he was elected to the first of two terms on the Executive Council, replacing Chris Sununu, who ran and won the first of his three terms as governor.
After running for some office in 11 straight elections over 22 years, Prescott stepped away from elective politics in 2020 to spend more time with his family and growing business, R.E. Prescott Co. Inc. of Exeter.
Prescott said he'd been thinking about this race for the past two years and couldn't get in until he finished a new business patent on how to more easily get disinfectant ozone into a water supply.
"I've built this business from seven employees to more than 45 by loyalty, by being loyal to my customers in a very competitive industry and supportive of those who work with me who have shared in my success," Prescott said.
The fiscal conservative said he's shown in the Legislature an ability to cut spending and spur economic growth during two economic slowdowns.
"Our budgets were underwater in both 2001 and 2011 and we worked to get them under control," Prescott said.
A St. Petersburg, Fla., native, Prescott grew up in Exeter and his family moved to Kingston.
While a half-dozen hopefuls had been on the campaign trail for months and raised more than $3 million, Prescott did wait the week before the filing period to enter this highly-competitive race.
First won as underdog
It's been a while, but Prescott has experience in a contested primary, having first beaten Derry Republican Sen. Rick Russman to win that Senate seat.
He does have the fiscally and socially conservative credentials to contend if he can raise enough money and build a base of supporters.
"I've been very encouraged. Every call I've come away pleased with the feedback," Prescott said.
National Republican leaders are targeting this race in hopes of knocking off popular two-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas.
The Republican-led Legislature is doing all it can to help, passing one redistricting map after another that raises the odds a GOP nominee could beat Pappas in a dramatically-different district.
The latest map (SB 200) lawmakers will vote on Thursday would move Pappas out of his 1st District and into the 2nd District with fellow Democratic U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster.
Only one of Prescott's GOP rivals has held state elective office, in that case a one-term House seat, and Prescott's council district makes up a sizable chunk of the redrawn 1st District.
Prescott joins a field that includes 2020 nominee and ex-State Department executive Matt Mowers of Gilford, Gail Huff Brown of Rye, former Trump administration press aide Karoline Leavitt of Hampton, state Rep. Timothy Baxter of Seabrook, Salem jeweler Gilead Towne, and retired U.S. Army Capt. and finance executive Mark Kilbane.
