There IS A NH Democratic Gubernatorial Primary Race!

Republican Primary Too (0.00 / 0)

Jack Kimball is resonating widely. His support will surprise Johnny S.  

No'm Sayn?

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by: BurtCohen @ Fri Sep 10, 2010 at 12:36:22 PM CDT

Good Point, Burt (4.00 / 1)

What concerns me is that we've left all the action in the Republican Primary.  Yes, that MAY divide them.  But it also will give them some momentum, and IF they figure out a way to unify, and they are hungry enough to do so, they can have a tremendous turnout in November.  

I could see the Republican turnout to be twice the Democratic turnout next Tuesday, with lots of undeclared voters picking up Republican ballots.  That doesn't mean they'll all vote Republican in November -- far from that.  But it does give the Republican machine a list of voters to encourage to turn out in November.  

The Lynch campaign not using this time period to have more dialogue and "welcome" discussions (they need not have been "debates") with his opponents in parts of the state was a lost opportunity.  It could have served to sharpen him up, and give him a headline on Wednesday morning, which I think he could have used.  Stephen will get the headlines, and momentum.  

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by: Rep. Jim Splaine @ Fri Sep 10, 2010 at 13:09:35 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Shouldn't he run the state in his spare time? (0.00 / 0)

How about we let the Governor do as little politicking as humanly possible, so he can attend to the needs of NH residents?

If you want to have this discussion, get the party chair to host a series of forums around NH.

www.KusterforCongress.com - www.paulhodesforsenate.com

www.nikitsongas.com - www.devalpatrick.com

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by: Jack Mitchell @ Fri Sep 10, 2010 at 13:40:28 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Gosh, Jack --- Isn't Having A Dialogue... (4.00 / 1)

...about the future of New Hampshire, which happens during political campaigns, part of the process of running the state?

If not, I guess I missed that memo.  

Of course, we'll have that dialogue.  Only it will be a confrontational debate onward to November, and our guy could have been better prepared.  That's all I'm saying.  I think the Democratic Party, and John Lynch, missed an important opportunity.  Hopefully we won't pay for it on November 2nd.    

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by: Rep. Jim Splaine @ Fri Sep 10, 2010 at 13:49:25 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Back to the hobby campaign arguement (0.00 / 0)

The other two have to do the heavy lifting. Lynch isn't obligated, as a gesture of good will, to give them a microphone.

His obligation is to distinguish his leadership, and the party ideals that are at its core, and those of the GOPers.

Your beef is with your party, not your governor.

www.KusterforCongress.com - www.paulhodesforsenate.com

www.nikitsongas.com - www.devalpatrick.com

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by: Jack Mitchell @ Fri Sep 10, 2010 at 13:59:51 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Jack -- It's About Strategy (0.00 / 0)

I have no "beef" with the Governor, or the Party -- just that we passed up a great opportunity to generate the discussion, and that's sad.  

I'm voting FOR John Lynch.  I hope you are too.  And I want to see im win in November.  I hope you do too.  

But as a strategy, ignoring those within our Party who want to have a discussion on, among other things tax reform, is -- IMHO -- poor. I'm looking at the big picture of the campaign, and I think we passed up an opportunity to be more inclusive, thus more powerful on November 2nd.  

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by: Rep. Jim Splaine @ Fri Sep 10, 2010 at 14:06:16 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

The Sentinel has a story on the Dem Governor primary today. (4.00 / 1)

It includes profiles of all three.

There are the faces of John Lynch. Tim Robertson. And "Picture Not Available."

Maybe the reason the media and the voters don't take the campaigns seriously, is that the candidates don't.

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by: elwood @ Fri Sep 10, 2010 at 18:58:47 PM CDT

proof text ? (0.00 / 0)

Rep.Splaine, you make unsupported assertions like these, without links or proof.

What was his eventual margin? How did it help provide it, and how do you arrive at your metrics? Are you a swami? :-D

Paul McEachern's challenge in the 2004 primary made John Lynch a better candidate, and I think helped provide his eventual margin of victory over Craig What's-His-Name in November.

Furthermore, I do not know who said John Lynch could self fund. As far as I know this year is the first he has gone to his own funds for such a large % of his total. I am very happy he is willing and able to pick up the slack and do it. We need him to fight repeal of H.R.436.

But that was not what 2004 was about. It did help to clear the field of weaker and lesser funded candidates that Lynch's early early supporters included some old line Liberal Republicans who were aghast at Craig Benson. He raised a lot of money, but did not self fund ever, or suggest he would. It was a common assumption made by many, because he was rumored to be wealthy.
For Democrats that is both titillating and rare.

7 Days
Have you knocked on doors today? Have you made calls ? Have you talked to your neighbors ?  

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by: JonnyBBad @ Fri Sep 10, 2010 at 20:47:50 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

$2 million+ in 2004 (4.00 / 1)

http://www.followthemoney.org/...

That's what I call self-funding.

The truth shall set you free.

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by: NHFlatlander @ Fri Sep 10, 2010 at 22:05:59 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

thanks what was total for cycle for the campaign? n/t (0.00 / 0)

7 Days
Have you knocked on doors today? Have you made calls ? Have you talked to your neighbors ?  

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by: JonnyBBad @ Fri Sep 10, 2010 at 22:16:13 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

2.9+- n/t (0.00 / 0)

7 Days
Have you knocked on doors today? Have you made calls ? Have you talked to your neighbors ?  

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by: JonnyBBad @ Sun Sep 12, 2010 at 16:05:09 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

e-mea culpa n/t (0.00 / 0)

7 Days
Have you knocked on doors today? Have you made calls ? Have you talked to your neighbors ?  

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by: JonnyBBad @ Sat Sep 11, 2010 at 07:32:39 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I Guess You Miss My Point... (4.00 / 1)

...that IMHO, we had an opportunity to have a good dialogue about Democratic ideals during this primary between, especially, Governor John Lynch and Rep. Tim Robertson.  Tim, by the way, was an early supporter of HB 436 when most Democrats were shying away from it after I introduced it in late 2008.  Without Tim and some other early supporters, of whom John Lynch was not one, we wouldn't have made it through the House.  Fact.  

We missed an opportunity to make John Lynch an even stronger candidate in November.  The momentum will be with whomever the Republican Gubernatorial Nominee is next Tuesday.  Having discussion is good.  That's my point.  I'm voting for John Lynch.  I hope he wins.  I appreciated that he signed House Bill 436.  He's been a good Governor.  I want to see him as strong as possible.

And by the way, Paul McEachern -- you should meet him -- helped hold our party together in the 1980s and led the discussion on many progressive Democratic ideals.  He put Judd Gregg and John Sununu to the wall when he ran against them in very Republican years.  I do think he made John Lynch a better candidate in 2004.  I need no "proof" for you, because that's my opinion.  You can prove otherwise if you want, because you have a right to your opinion too.  

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by: Rep. Jim Splaine @ Fri Sep 10, 2010 at 22:07:45 PM CDT

WE didn't pass up anything (4.00 / 2)

If Robertson and Sullivan had run campaigns, we would have had the discussion. I wish they had. I'm not a Lynch fan, and I would have appreciated the opportunity to have the discussion.

They're the ones who blew it. Not us.  

member of the professional left  

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by: susanthe @ Sat Sep 11, 2010 at 09:11:43 AM CDT

Political candidates are applicants for a job. (4.00 / 1)

Since when is it up to the applicants to design a hiring and evaluation process.  We complain about public officials who are lazy.  What about the people who employ them.  Government by the people is not achieved by filling out a lottery ticket.

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by: hannah @ Sun Sep 12, 2010 at 12:06:08 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Using that analogy.... (4.00 / 2)

A potential employer shouldn't have to go someone's web site to find out if the person is interested in a job.

Candidates have a responsibility to let voters know they are running, where they stand, and ask for the voters support.  If they can't be bothered to do that, then the voters shouldn't be expected them to chase them done.

As for the notion that a " real" primary would have made John Lynch a better candidate, I don't think so. I'm trying to remember when a primary against an incumbent gubernatorial, senatorial or presidential candidate made them stronger, rather than weaker.  Can't remember one.

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

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by: Kathy Sullivan 2 @ Sun Sep 12, 2010 at 20:57:36 PM CDT

[ Parent ]