State House Dome: Sununu, DeSantis offer similar and contrasting inaugural themes

Jan. 8—THE AUDIENCE for Gov. Chris Sununu's inaugural address included not just Granite Staters, but national Republicans who could be willing to give him a look as he considers the prospect of a White House run in 2024.

That's why it's worth comparing and contrasting the opening rhetoric from the four-term Gov. Sununu and the current Big Dog in the 2024 GOP presidential scramble, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

DeSantis gave his speech last Tuesday in Tallahassee, two days before Sununu's, to kick off his second four-year term.

Here's how DeSantis cast life in the Sunshine State.

"Florida is leading the nation. We are No. 1 in these United States in net in-migration, Florida is the fastest growing state. We are No. 1 in business formation, Florida is No. 1 in tourism, we are No. 1 in economic freedom, Florida is No. 1 in education freedom and we rank No. 1 in parental involvement in education," DeSantis said.

"Florida also ranks No. 1 in public higher education. This is a record we can all be proud of, and we are far from done."

Here's how Sununu described the status of the Live Free or Die State.

"Simply put — New Hampshire is the envy of the nation, the gold standard of states, and No. 1 place in America to live, work and raise a family. Today in New Hampshire, we are recognized as having America's best return on taxpayer investment," Sununu said.

"We are ranked the No. 1 state for personal freedoms, the No. 1 state for economic opportunity, the No. 1 state for opportunity, the No. 1 state for public safety with the lowest poverty rate in America. These rankings are nice and all, but they don't tell the full story."

Sununu and DeSantis, however, offered different perspectives on how to get results in this highly polarized political environment.

"Our job is to set a path, provide guidelines and more often than not, get out of the way. You do you. Live Free or Die — it's more than just four words on a license plate, it's our way of life here, and we must remain committed to upholding these values," Sununu said.

By contrast, DeSantis used much of his speech prosecuting his critics during COVID-19 and vowing to beat them on all other policy fronts going forward.

"This bizarre but prevalent ideology that permeates these policy measures purports to act in the name of justice for the marginalized, but it frowns upon American institutions, it rejects merit and achievement and it advocates identity essentialism," DeSantis said.

"We reject this woke ideology ... We will never surrender to the woke mob. Florida is where woke goes to die!"

Neil Levesque, director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College, said the two have very different speaking styles.

"With DeSantis you get a lot of makeup, a teleprompter and a very carefully scripted address. It's completely different than Sununu, who gets up there sometimes without a note and speaks extemporaneously, which some people find appealing," Levesque said.

Sununu puffed up his chest on another issue while making an oblique reference to another potential 2024 opponent.

"Nationally you have heard a lot of talk over the last two years about two words: Parents matter. But while those simple words might be a new concept in somewhere like Virginia, they've been a central concept to our communities and government in New Hampshire since the beginning."

Why would Sununu mention Virginia? The parental rights issue helped deliver the Virginia's governorship for Republican Glenn Youngkin, who also isn't ruling out a 2024 run.

The topic is especially telling since social conservatives blame Sununu for killing a parental rights bill last spring after he had vowed to veto it.

The bid to adopt the final compromise failed in the House last May, 176-111.

House Speaker Sherman Packard, R-Londonderry, and Senate President Jeb Bradley, R-Wolfeboro, both have said the issue remains a top priority for 2023.

Given his 2024 ambitions, Sununu likely will try to reach consensus on the matter with those GOP legislative leaders and get this behind him.

Explicit books in schools

A few dozen protesters gathered outside the State House before Sununu's speech to call for an end to the availability of sexually explicit books in New Hampshire public schools.

Betsy Harrington, a social worker who has counseled sex offenders in state prison, was shocked last year to see the sexually graphic books that her son had access to at Hillsborough-Deering High School.

She said one book, "Flamer," was so graphic that she sought and got a private meeting with the school board to discuss it last June, but she said no action was taken.

Harrington said Attorney General John Formella should investigate whether these books violate the state's anti-obscenity laws and said the state should create a rating system to ensure sexually explicit books cannot be seen by juveniles in public schools.

"The governor has the power to do something about this. We're talking about books depicting child exploitation, and that has no place in K-12 education," she said.

Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut confirmed Harrington had spoken with him and he continues to monitor the matter. Under local control, city and town boards decide curriculum materials that get used in their schools.

"The department has received a number of inquiries from parents, including Mrs. Harrington, and other individuals relative to content available to students in some New Hampshire schools," Edelblut said in a statement.

"We are working with parents and schools to make sure that any materials available to students are developmentally appropriate."

Revenue happy holidays

Thanks to business and hospitality taxes, December was another big month for state revenues, with the $323 million take about $60 million (23%) more than state budget writers had expected.

It was also $16 million (5.4%) over the same month last year.

After six months, the $1.2 billion in state taxes and fees is $207 million (20%) ahead of forecast.

With record Powerball jackpots and flourishing sports betting, the lottery has taken in $77 million over six months, which is 37% more than came in during the same period a year ago.

Defectors in the House

Both House Majority Leader Jason Osborne, R-Auburn, and Democratic Leader Matt Wilhelm of Manchester got a glimpse into how difficult it could be to keep ranks together in a closely divided chamber.

The one vote House Republicans lost last week was whether to give committee chairs the power to decide how to first present a bill before the House after their panels deadlocked over it.

The long-held tradition is that when this happens, the first motion ought to pass.

The bid to change that came up short, 191-184.

The seven Republicans who opposed giving GOP committee chairs this clout were Reps. David Bickford of New Durham, Jason Gerhard of Franklin, Bill King of Milford, David Nagel of Gilmanton, Brandon Phinney of Fremont, Dan Wolf of Newbury and Josh Yokela of Fremont.

On the flip side, Wilhelm had his share of defectors after he offered reform that would have let any member absent for personal or family health illness designate a proxy to vote for them.

The House rejected the idea, 204-171.

House Democrats who turned thumbs down were Reps. Jane Beaulieu of Manchester, Sherry Dutzy of Nashua, Shaun Filiault of Keene, Jeff Goley of Manchester, Jaci Grote of Rye, Peter Leishman of Peterborough, Jim Maggiore of North Hampton, Michael O'Brien of Nashua, Tim Soucy of Concord, Laurel Stavis of West Lebanon, Bruce Tatro of Swanzey, Kenneth Vincent of Somersworth and Jonah Wheeler of Peterborough.

On letting legislators and the public carry concealed weapons on the House floor and in committee rooms, Wilhelm lost six Democrats who opposed his bid to get rid of it.

They were Reps. Karen Calabro of Hollis, Goley of Manchester, Sherry Gould of Warner, Eamon Kelley of Berlin, Mark Vallone of Epping and Stephen Woodcock of Center Conway.

Curtailing speechifying

To try to keep partisan speechifying to a minimum, the House voted to require a 60% majority to let someone speak under unanimous consent if there's an objection to the content.

These speeches given at the end of each session often aren't overtly political.

Rep. Tim Horrigan, D-Durham, decided he wanted to comment on the two-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot.

To no one's surprise, some conservative Republicans objected and Horrigan's speech was shot down.

"I think this new standard will help us avoid taking political shots at one another because we simply don't have the time for it," said Rep. J.R. Hoell, R-Dunbartonn.

HHS budget a tough sell?

The Department of Health and Human Services consumes nearly half of the state budget, and even during good times there are spirited debates every two years over how much it should receive.

House Speaker Packard has made sure HHS budget analysts have to sharpen their pencils this spring.

State Rep. Jess Edwards, R-Auburn, returns as chairman of the House Finance Committee with control over the HHS budget.

Despite his conservative voting record, Edwards had a good relationship with former HHS Commissioner Lori Shibinette and her team.

Joining Edwards on the working group, however, are three other budget hawks: House Finance Vice Chairman Keith Erf, R-Weare, Maureen Mooney, R-Merrimack, and Hoell.

House Democratic Leader Wilhelm made sure his members have plenty of horsepower to support human service spending, led by 18-term Rep. Sharon Nordgren, D-Hanover, and 21-term Rep. Mary Jane Wallner, D-Concord.

Meanwhile, Senate President Bradley pleased human service advocates by announcing the Senate GOP agenda in 2023 will include "improving resources for both mental health and substance abuse programs, ensuring continued access to health care for low-income families."

The latter refers to renewing Medicaid expansion, which ends in 2023 unless the Legislature reauthorizes it.

There will be a serious debate, especially in the House GOP caucus, about whether to make the expansion permanent or simply extend it several years out as done twice before.

HHS commissioner search

Sununu has set no timetable for replacing Shibinette with the next permanent commissioner at HHS.

A committee Sununu named to conduct the search already has held interviews.

Sununu's hand-picked group of interviewers includes former HHS Commissioners Nick Toumpas of Rye and Ned Helms of Concord, along with Donnalee Lozeau, CEO of Southern New Hampshire Services and former mayor of Nashua.

The big question is whether this committee and Sununu reach agreement on a candidate, who then would be dropped right into the highly charged debate over the next budget.

The Executive Council let Sununu name Shibinette's top deputy, Lori Weaver, to serve as acting commissioner until Feb. 1, unless he brings in a nominee earlier than that.

Sununu does have the go-slow option to ask the council to keep Weaver in place until a state budget could clear the House of Representatives in late March or until approval of a compromise budget in June.

Some in the provider community have voiced support for Steve Norton, the state's former Medicaid director who is chief strategy officer with SolutioNHealth, the partnership of Elliot Health in Manchester and Southern New Hampshire Health in Nashua.

Kevin Landrgan is State House Bureau Chief for the New Hampshire Union Leader and Sunday News. Reach him at klandrigan@uninleader.com.