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In Case You Missed It on Thursday, November 4th at 11:30am Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig, Nashua Alderman Shoshanna Kelly, and New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Raymond Buckley held a virtual press conference discussing Tuesday's municipal elections and the grassroots momentum Democrats are building statewide.
Read remarks from the press conference here:
Mayor Craig:
“Manchester voters made it very clear that they believe in a more inclusive and vibrant Queen City. Despite mixed results that we saw for Democrats across the country, we all campaigned and delivered on the issues important to residents of the city, resulting in decisive victories. We prioritized public safety, made investments in affordable housing, returned our students safely to classrooms, and fostered economic growth. And that's what the voters want. We worked hard and we worked together. Beginning in June, we knocked on thousands and thousands of doors across the city, having one-on-one conversations with residents in the city, right where they live, where they're comfortable. It's what our residents expect. It's what they deserve. And it's what wins elections.
And in Manchester, we saw just that. Democrats picked up Aldermanic seats in wards 4, 7, and 12, and we made major gains on the board of school committee. We also saw historic victories for women elected to the Board of Mayor and Alderman in wards 4, 7, 9, 12, and the at-large seat. And I'm so looking forward to working with Christine Fajardo, Mary Heath, Barbara Shaw, Erin Kelly, and June Trisciani, who all bring fresh ideas and unique perspectives, which will help us continue to build a stronger Manchester. And again, what's really exciting is this trend continued across the state, with Joanna Kelly as the assistant mayor in Portsmouth, as well as Alderwoman Shoshanna Kelly in Nashua.”
Alderman Shoshanna Kelley:
“We had an incredible night across the state. We had an incredible night in Nashua on Tuesday, and I know that I am just so very proud of everybody who put in that deep, deep work. There were a ton of really exciting ... Everyone has touched on some of these, but Joanna Kelly being the first woman elected as assistant mayor. I want to welcome Gloria Timmins as the second woman of color elected as an alderwoman at large here in Nashua. And the win go on and on.
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This isn't a fluke. This is a pattern in Nashua across the state. We're knocking doors. We're working as a team, and it's making all of the difference in these democratic victories. So I'm excited to continue to serve. I'm excited to have so many great people joining me. And Democrats are just going to keep moving in this capacity in this state. I know they are because that's what happens when you work as a team.”
Chairman Buckley:
“New Hampshire Democrats bucked the national trend once again, and won big in communities across the state, including in rural and in red areas. While Democrats won up and down the ballot, the clear loser is Chris Sununu. Since signing his anti-abortion ban into law, the Governor has lost three special election, including in Republican strongholds like Bedford, and has been trounced in a deep red city like Laconia. Despite the national headwinds, New Hampshire Democrats are running laps around Chris Sununu and New Hampshire Republicans, and are in a dominant position heading into 2022.
And the facts are that Mayor Craig resoundingly won a third term in Manchester, New Hampshire's largest city. Mayor Andrew Hosmer was reelected in Laconia, which Donald Trump won by six points, and Andrew received a 46 point landslide, a clear sign of democratic momentum and democratic strength in the granite state. Democrats flipped the city of Claremont, and the city of Portsmouth went from red to blue in the mayor's race with the election of Doug McEachern and we're very excited about Joanna Kelley serving as the assistant mayor, making New Hampshire history as the first person of color to serve in that position in New Hampshire. It's also important to note that not a single Republican will serve on the Portsmouth City Council after Tuesday's election.”
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