2017       Special Election       Elected 52 – 48

This is turning out to be an important state-level special electionNew Hampshire is developing a kind of mini-Georgia 06 election — an election gaining national attention. 

New Hampshire Republicans are worried about losing the New Hampshire Senate in 2018 and really want to flip the now open Senate seat from Democrat to Republican. The late Scott McGilvray had been the first Democrat to win SD 16.  With a 14-9 margin in the NH senate, Republicans are spending a lot of money to win that seat back in the special election scheduled for July 25.  Democratic organizations are gearing up to combat all that Republican money.  Will they be quick enough? Nimble enough to suddenly focus on a campaign that they had not expected to require a lot of resources?  Will we be quick enough to provide some support to the Democratic candidate?

Kevin Cavanaugh https://www.cavanaughfornh.com/ is a strong Democratic candidate. Senate District 16 includes two wards in Manchester, where he has been an alderman for a year, plus four neighboring towns.  Kevin Cavanaugh has been an employee in telecommunications for a firm that pro vides long distance telephone service, data, Internet, broadband, television, business communications solutions and fiber services.  His avocation has been in youth sports and community service.    He has coached high school football coach and is a regular youth league coach in hockey, soccer, baseball, and softball. His political life has been through the electrical workers’ union.  He is an officer of his local and, in the primary and the upcoming election, has gained union support from throughout the state.

He sets out an agenda which begins with the crisis that has invaded rural America.  He intends to reduce the opioid crisis by strengthening treatment and recovery services, expanding prevention education, and providing first responders with the resources they need to fight opioid use and its consequences.

Kevin Cavanaugh‘s commitments to families include the availability of health care, family leave, equal pay for equal work, and infrastructure that serves communities.  He supports full day kindergarten, funding for STEAM education programs, greater access to technical schools and  post-secondary education.  He advocates solar energy, even in New Hampshire, and job training and retraining so that the people of New Hampshire are qualified for good jobs. Finally, he advocates for strategies to ensure that people have better access to voting.

This being New Hampshire, the conversation has also been about spending and taxes.  Kevin Cavanaugh supports new sources of revenue.  He would consider legalizing and taxing marijuana.  He would consider allowing a casino in New Hampshire, suggesting that it might be a source of good jobs as well a source of revenue.  He opposes further reductions in business taxes and proposes an increase in the minimum wage.  No one, not in the primary and not in the special election has said a word about the income tax. This is New Hampshire.

if you are inclined to take a step to help make New Hampshire a Democratic state, here is a chance if you are quick enough.  Provide some support to Kevin Cavanaugh https://www.cavanaughfornh.com/  The election is July 25.