'Ticker's Rising Stars 2009

This is just so ridiculous: (0.00 / 0)

State Sen. Matt Houde: Houde is only a freshman state senator but is already considered one of the most thoughtful senators.

Nice use of the passive voice.

Since Houde has necessarily given no floor speech, introduced no legislation, and cast no vote, he can be considered "one of the most thoughtful Senators" only by a precious few insiders.

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by: elwood @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 14:08:04 PM CST

The hand picked guy? n/t (0.00 / 0)

www.KusterforCongress.com - www.paulhodesforsenate.com

www.nikitsongas.com - www.devalpatrick.com

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by: Jack Mitchell @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 14:09:43 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Well, quickly endorsed anyway (4.00 / 1)

Peter Burling endorsed him the same day he announced that he wasn't seeking re-election.

Houde may indeed prove to be "one of the most thoughtful Senators." I'm not knocking him - I'm knocking the extreme inside-the-beltway punditry here.

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by: elwood @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 14:28:07 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Come on (0.00 / 0)

To call this, "extreme inside-the-beltway punditry" is a little absurd. Anyone who has spoken with Matt knows his sincere interest and concern with the problems of the area. Perhaps a better way for 'ticker to put this would be to say, Houde is already considered one of Concord's most thoughtful and sincere voices.
Burling clearly saw this when he was looking at the field, and he helped elect a man that will no doubt serve District 5 well for as long as he chooses.  

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by: uppervalleystudent @ Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 08:00:36 AM CST

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uppervalleystudent? (0.00 / 0)

Welcome to BH.

My you have a very specific taste in blogging. Pardon my blunt approach, but for you to come out of nowhere to call elwood's remark "a little absurd" strikes me as odd.

It isn't so much that you are butting heads with elwood. Hell, join the club. For me it is the topic, Sen. Matt Houde.

In the past, there have been cases where children of pols have jumped into the fray. That is just messy and I hope that is not the case here.

I'm sure, that as you participate in this forum, you will find that Houde is not targeted for abuse. From all accounts, online and off, Sen. Houde is as his proponents describe.

That is not to say, that his journey to Concord should not be examined. Online and off.

www.KusterforCongress.com - www.paulhodesforsenate.com

www.nikitsongas.com - www.devalpatrick.com

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by: Jack Mitchell @ Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 10:02:53 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Um, congrats Dean? (0.00 / 0)

It's kind of an odd list. I guess you can get creative with "rising stars."

I did note the Marchand rumor, which was interesting.

This amused me:

1) Attorney General Kelly Ayotte: Ayotte's work as attorney general has many state Republicans glowing over the possibility that she could run for political office in 2010. Her political views remain virtually unknown, but she is likely to have support should she run in any upcoming race.

I think "glowing" is putting it mildy. Young, attractive, reasonably well-liked, politically vague? They would walk on hot coals to have her run for something.

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by: JimC @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 14:16:47 PM CST

"Virtually unknown"? (4.00 / 1)

Ayotte pursued the parental notification law to the Supreme Court against the wishes of Governor Lynch. She is an anti-abortion activist.

She joined a Friend of the Court brief against California's same sex marriage decision, then pulled out once she actually read the New Hampshire statute and found that she had no legal ground to make her claims. She is an activist against gay civil rights.

She has aggressively pursued two death penalty cases. I believe she could have directed that they be prosecuted as non-capital offenses. She is clearly pro-death penalty.

She hasn't been involved in state taxation issues. Other than that, she is very clearly a right-wing Republican.

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by: elwood @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 15:18:43 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Well she's got deniability (0.00 / 0)

In every Globe story on the parental notification case, they took pains to point out something to the effect of "Ayotte declines to discuss her personal views on abortion." Now that's one of two things: 1) A reporter assuming she's pro-choice, and field testing that, or 2) an AG or press secretary being forcefully vague.

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by: JimC @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 15:26:11 PM CST

[ Parent ]

notwithstanding (0.00 / 0)

Notwithstanding John Lynch's wishes, it is at least arguable that as the AG for the state, she had a responsibility to defend the law that was duly passed and signed.  

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by: kite @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 16:57:47 PM CST

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All the way to SCOTUS? (4.00 / 1)

Boy, I'm glad that taxpayers don't have to pay for every possible maximum appeal. Some prosecutors accept lower court rulings.

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by: elwood @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 17:05:46 PM CST

[ Parent ]

When that law (4.00 / 1)

was passed under Benson, the sponsors declined to put an exemption for the life and health of the mother in there. They did it in the hopes that it would go to SCOTUS and change US reproductive rights law.

Here is an August, 2005 article from The American Center for Law and Justice.

"We would keep appealing it and they would keep appealing it -- all the way to the Supreme Court. That's not a surprise. What's a surprise is that the Supreme Court agreed to hear it," says Woods,

The New Hampshire law pointedly does not include a so-called health exception, which allows parental notification to be waived when a delay would threaten the health of the pregnant minor. Instead notification can be waived only if an abortion is necessary immediately to prevent the pregnant teen's death and cannot wait for the two-day notification period to elapse.

"Why no health exception?" says Tony Soltani, a lawyer, a New Hampshire House member, and a strong supporter of the bill. "Because the medical profession, especially the psychiatry profession, would testify that the health of a mother would suffer from post-traumatic stress syndrome if she has the baby."

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by: Jennifer Daler @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 17:45:38 PM CST

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Also, note (0.00 / 0)

that per the article, the law passed the House by six votes and the Senate by one vote, under Republican majorities. Hardly a ringing mandate from the people of New Hampshire.

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by: Jennifer Daler @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 17:49:34 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I dont think it will be that easy to tag kelly ayotte with the tag of right winger. (4.00 / 4)

On the abortion issue, the wishes of Governor Lynch are not really relevant to the decision of the AG to support state law (unless they come to the conclusion that there is no rational argument to support a finding of constitutionality, AG's are supposed to take a position supporting laws as enacted, not as they would wish them to be--- cf, Jerry Brown's statements as to why he originally said he would argue the constitutionality of the anti-gay marriage initiative in California). I dont think you can come to any conclusion about her personal views on abortion from the position AG Ayotte took in the one appeal.

You are on stronger ground in same sex marriage law case-- although the alacrity with which the state withdrew from the case make it hard to say that she took a position for partisan position in conscious disregard for the law. ( It seems more likely that someone at the AG's office just dropped the ball on this). There are any number of democrats who dont support gay marriage (although in most cases, it seems to be based on political considerations rather than principle).

Finally she is clearly pro death penalty-- which would align her exactly with the last two democratic governors.

While I know Kelly Ayotte, I've never had any sort of  political discussion with her. But I would guess from a number of actions, including the way her office routinely interprets election law in a manner that drives the right wing true believers nuts, that she doesn't easily fit into the right wing box.

Which of course makes her a far more viable ( and from the democratic viewpoint, more dangerous) candidate. It would be a mistake to underestimate her.

"But, in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope." Si se puede. Yes we can.  

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by: Paul Twomey @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 19:00:34 PM CST

[ Parent ]

About that amicus brief (4.00 / 1)

on gay marriage and civil unions. More here.

Her actions were indefensible.

She has been in office for years. If she didn't know the most prominent NH civil rights law of the past decade or so, a very short law, she should have known who she could trust.

She trusted the right-wing ideologues.

On parental notification: Are you really claiming that every prosecutor has an obligation to take each case all the way up the ladder until all appeals are exhausted?

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by: elwood @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 19:17:27 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Not every prosecutor but (4.00 / 3)

it has long been the position of the NH AG office that it is their obligation to support the laws enacted by the legislature and or the actions taken by other constitutional officers such as Bill Gardner as long as there is a reasonable interpretation that is consistent with the federal and state constitutions. They have done so in a number of circumstances when it was clear that the particular people at the AG office did not personally support the policies, (note: this is not always the case, in some states the AG's are expected to exercise their own independent analysis of constitutionality without deference to the legislature. Neither policy is perfect, but AG Ayotte's were consistent with a longstanding NH policy, so I think you have to give her a pass, as there isn't enough evidence to establish what her personal beliefs are.

In regards to the amicus brief, it is murkier but clearly someone at the AG's office failed to read the NH statute with any diligence before they said they were going to file the brief. What I meant to say is that their actions almost certainly werent taken in wilfull defiance of the plain meaning of the NH law as they so quickly reversed course. It they were motivated solely by the political considerations, they would have simply maintained the position and reaped the political benefits. That of course doesn't mean that the political benefits did not play a part in the original decision, which is a separate, albeit related, question.

"But, in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope." Si se puede. Yes we can.  

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by: Paul Twomey @ Wed Dec 31, 2008 at 07:09:53 AM CST

[ Parent ]

I recall the license plate case (4.00 / 1)

taken to SCOTUS under Meldrim Thomson when David Souter was AG. I suspect he has taken some ribbing in chambers about that case.

This seems like an unusual case, however. By the time the decision was made to appeal, it was clear that because of new elections the law would no longer have passed and would likely be repealed. (Thanks to Tom Eaton for sitting on his hands and letting the matter get this far to begin with.)

That doesn't render a decision to "defend current law to the maximum" unreasonable. But it makes me, personally, conclude that Ayotte was an eager participant in a right-wing anti-abortion movement. My evidence is only strong enough for a voting booth decision, not for a court decision.

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by: elwood @ Wed Dec 31, 2008 at 07:58:03 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Re: the amicus brief (4.00 / 3)

Here I think you are giving her FAR too much leeway.

If there were a requirement for a state to choose which side to take on this issue, the talk of poor staff research might carry more weight. But even getting involved in the case was a huge reach.

The burden of proof, it seems to me, was very high to even consider using New Hampshire resources to intervene in a case about California marriage law.

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by: elwood @ Wed Dec 31, 2008 at 08:02:15 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Employer (0.00 / 0)

She took a job as Craig Bensons legal counsel, I think that may qualify her as a right wing republican.

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by: sdoyle @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 19:24:05 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Not sure that necessarily follows. (4.00 / 3)

She could have been motivated by a number of other considerations, such as public service, the fact that it is an exciting job for a young lawyer, the fact that being the governors counsel is quite likely to lead to a judgeship (especially under the system that Sununu and Benson used where there was no independent screening body).

Finally, if my memory is correct, she didn't stay as counsel for a long time, so maybe there was something there she didn't like.

My only point here is that people are complex and we shouldn't be so quick to place simplistic labels on them.  

"But, in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope." Si se puede. Yes we can.  

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by: Paul Twomey @ Wed Dec 31, 2008 at 07:18:48 AM CST

[ Parent ]

LOL. (4.00 / 3)

I guess "rising" is better than falling. And since I see no viable path for a statehouse run that also includes continuing to pay my mortgage, I'm going to have to be creative in figuring out how to keep rising. :-)

But I'd gladly swap my spot for another in the Houde zone - Lebanon Mayor Karen Liot Hill.

birch, finch, beech

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by: Dean Barker @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 19:16:30 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I particularly enjoyed (0.00 / 0)

the GOP #4 - aka a twofer of losers.  

member of the professional left  

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by: susanthe @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 14:29:05 PM CST

Agreed (0.00 / 0)

But I do think you'll hear from Horn again.

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by: JimC @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 15:07:48 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Good list (4.00 / 1)

I like James Pindell's lists like that - he gets it, and makes it fun and interesting.

I'm just disappointed that there's only one woman on the Dem list.... maybe that's because women run so many things in NH already?

No, we need more female rising stars in the mix, too.

I'd nominate Kristyn McLeod, Gov. Lynch's budget director.  She's a fantastic person, both politically savvy and wicked smart.  She would be a good candidate for office, should she ever wish to take that path.


Be the Change you wish to see in the world (Gandhi)

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by: KrisSchultz @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 15:49:13 PM CST

Oh SNAP! (0.00 / 0)

A little birdy tells me I should have given Brian Lawson the kudos for creating a good list, has he was the author of the lists, not Pindell....

GOOD JOB, BRIAN!

(Sorry, Cosmo!)


Be the Change you wish to see in the world (Gandhi)

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by: KrisSchultz @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 16:11:22 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Further carping. (0.00 / 0)

You would think that a pre-requisite for compiling a "rising star" list of New Hampshire political figures would be a basic understanding of how well particular positions have served, as steppingstones to higher office.

When was the last time a Mayor of Manchester moved on to higher office?

How about a state Senate President?

Bueller?

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by: elwood @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 15:57:16 PM CST

Dem's List (0.00 / 0)

Overall it was a good list.

I didn't know that Senator Hassan is the front runner in a governors race, even ahead of the current Governor.

Sen. Houde should be thanking the College Dems at Dartmouth for a lot of his votes. 7 seems a little high for him.

I think Mayor Bouley will stay in Concord.

Congrats Dean on the nod.

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by: sdoyle @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 15:58:50 PM CST

this is the second time (0.00 / 0)

(that I know) that they have mentioned this (Hassan).

Interesting on many levels, particularly in the presumption that Lynch is done.

Not sure I'd be happy by the early retirement proclamation if I were the Gov. Nor the early announcement were I Sen. Hassan.

Hope > Fear




Create a free Blue Hampshire account and join the conversation.

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by: Mike Hoefer @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 16:52:10 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Oh SNAP! (0.00 / 0)

A little birdy tells me I should have given Brian Lawson the kudos for creating a good list, has he was the author of the lists, not Pindell....

GOOD JOB, BRIAN!

(Sorry, Cosmo!)


Be the Change you wish to see in the world (Gandhi)

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by: KrisSchultz @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 16:09:36 PM CST

Absurdly short list (4.00 / 1)

Our bench is so wide and so deep that I could name over 100 Democratic rising stars under 30!

Have you written a letter to the editor today? Have you donated today? Have you put up signs? Have you made calls? Have you talked to your neighbors?

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by: Ray Buckley @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 17:04:05 PM CST

Maybe Chairman Buckley (4.00 / 1)

can use his immense persuasive powers to convince AG Ayotte to run as a Democrat

I'm a Jeanne Shaheen friend and staffer.

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by: Judy Reardon @ Wed Dec 31, 2008 at 11:49:09 AM CST

[ Parent ]

The GOP list and the dog that didn't bark (4.00 / 2)

No Jim Steiner. He seemed to offer a "new face" for the GOP: a campaign based on policies rather than rhetoric, and a willingness to engage Democrats in a mutually respectful debate. Dean has argued that Steiner is the sort of Republican who fits the NH-02 electorate best.

But PolitickerNH sees no particular future for him in the state party, though Bosse and Horn make the list.

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by: elwood @ Wed Dec 31, 2008 at 14:33:13 PM CST

the 'Steiner' effect (0.00 / 0)

The votes that Jim Steiner took from Bob Clegg in the Concord region sunk Clegg's hopes and elevated Jennifer Horn...

6 days till election day
Have you knocked on doors today? Have you made calls ? Have you talked to your neighbors ?  

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by: JonnyBBad @ Wed Dec 31, 2008 at 16:10:52 PM CST

[ Parent ]