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Did Executive Councilor Dan St. Hilaire sacrifice the health of 16,000 New Hampshire residents for personal political ambition? Tony Schinella reports on the political calculations behind St. Hilaire's vote to reject the Planned Parenthood contract that would have provided health care services in the state.
The political rumor mill began spinning about a St. Hilaire gubernatorial run in 2012 not long after he voted to defund Planned Parenthood in June of this year. Up until that vote, he was not considered a serious potential statewide candidate since he drew a lot of his support from liberal-to-moderate Republicans and might not survive a primary, where voters tend to be more conservative. ...
Earlier this year, some conservative leaders wondered openly about the swerve to the right with the defund vote, thinking that St. Hilaire might be considering a potential bid for governor in 2012.
In an interview with the Concord Monitor, St. Hilaire confirmed he is, in fact, considering a gubernatorial run.
"I'm at the stage of deciding whether I should be jumping into the race or not," St. Hilaire said.
(Part moved below the fold - promoted by William Tucker)
Today I had the opportunity to attend the Executive Council's meeting at the Goodwin Health Center in Somersworth. While at the meeting the Council voted on an otherwise benign contract between Health and Human Services and Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital in Hanover, NH. The contract is for Dartmouth Hitchcock to provide attentional epidemiology resources on an as needed basis, for occasions such as the anthrax incident at the University of New Hampshire in 2009.
After the meeting I took a few minutes to speak with my Councilor, Dan St. Hilarie. I asked him about his vote against Planned Parenthood, but in approval of today's Dartmouth contract, since they both provide abortion services. He told me the Dartmouth vote was different since it was for epidemiology services and not family planning services.
In the past Councilor St. Hilaire said he opposed taxpayer money supporting organizations that provide abortions. With today's vote he didn't have that same objection though.
Today he told me that if Planned Parenthood started a new 503c for it's abortion services and it was completely separate from it's women's health services that he would vote to fund the women't health services part. This is a completely unnecessary step since Federal Law already blocks Planned Parenthood from using federal funds for abortion services.
(Taking back the EC needs to be one of our goals in 2012. It would be great to have someone like Colin running to serve in this important group. - promoted by Mike Hoefer)
My Executive Councilor is Dan St. Hilaire.
You may remember that because St. Hilaire personally disagrees with federal law, he cast a deciding vote that resulted in thousands of New Hampshire women losing their access to cancer screenings. Moreover, he could likely cost the state untold dollars in an unsuccessful legal battle.
It's this kind of ideological blindness to common sense and the health of our citizenry that has me waiting patiently for 2012. But by the same token, what other statewide office has a smaller public presence than the Executive Council? Along with the public learning what Dan St. Hilaire did to them, they also need to know where on the ballot they remove him from office.
That's why I'm so pleased to see this in the Monitor:
St. Hilaire challenger?
Voters frustrated with Republican Executive Councilor Dan St. Hilaire's recent vote against a Planned Parenthood contract are hoping to find a Democratic challenger to run against him next fall. Among those considering it: Colin Van Ostern.
Van Ostern is a business manager at Stonyfield Farm. He has an MBA and previously worked as associate director of public relations at Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business. Capital Beat readers will likely be most familiar with Van Ostern's role in the 2010 election: campaign manager for congressional candidate Ann McLane Kuster.
"I've heard from many friends and neighbors who are concerned that the Executive Council's hard-right policies are hurting our community - and yes, some local leaders have encouraged me to run in order to bring some balance back to Concord," Van Ostern said in an email. "I agree that we need a check on the current agenda, so I'm taking this encouragement seriously and giving it real thought."
Ful disclosure: I've known about the possibility of Colin entering this race, and I am hoping he goes for it.
You probably remember that Colin ran Annie Kuster's remarkable grassroots-powered campaign that, although falling just short, was the one of the few bright spots of 2010 for Dems. Annie's incredibly strong position against Charlie Bass in 2012 (one of the the top - if not the top - pickup opportunities in the entire US Congress) is built upon Colin's work in 2010. His entry in this race would immediately increase its visibility and thus bring more attention to what St. Hilaire did.
Plus, think about what having someone with that skill set run for Executive Council would mean not just for that office but for other proximate rep and senate races on the ballot. The single biggest crisis in New Hampshire today is the radical mentality in control of Concord. Swing-to-leaning-blue Merrimack-06, for example, in St. Hilaire's district, has not one but two Free Staters representing its constituents. The more attention we can bring to state races, the better.
Separate from Colin's political acumen is his experience in business. Choosing to work for a socially and environmentally responsible, globally recognized business that is also a major employer in New Hampshire gives you an idea of the kind of pragmatic, business sense Colin would bring to an Executive Council position that now is guided by right-wing beliefs.
I would be proud to support Colin Van Ostern. Please encourage him to run!
Most people might consider Maine a great place to vacation, but for New Hampshire Republican consultant and former McCain adviser Michael Dennehy, apparently it's a great place to draw the ire of the Ethics Commission and your own campaign client.
The Kennebec Journal has a piece today about Dennehy releasing a last-minute attack robocall before the state's primary - in violation of state law and without consulting the campaign, itself:
Michael Dennehy said he did not ask [Republican Gubernatorial candidate Les] Otten or Campaign Manager Edie Smith for permission before recording the message and sending it to 7,289 Maine households the night before the June 8 primary.
The phone call became an issue last month when the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices launched an investigation because the call contained no disclosure, as required by law.
The attack? It targeted primary rival Paul LePage for his position on civil unions (and he even got that wrong).
