New Hampshire
NH Executive Council election: Meet candidates for little-known office with major power
CONCORD — Two Seacoast districts will see competitive races for New Hampshire Executive Council in November featuring well-known Democrats fighting an uphill battle against Republican incumbents.
In District 1, Republican incumbent Joe Kenney of Wakefield is being challenged by Democrat Emmett Soldati of Somersworth. The district comprises communities in Coos Country to Strafford county, including the greater Seacoast cities and towns of Dover, Durham, Farmington, Madbury, Rochester, Rollinsford, and Somersworth.
In District 3, Republican incumbent Janet Stevens of Rye faces Democrat Jon Morgan of Brentwood. The district includes much of the Seacoast, including Hampton, Rye, Seabrook, Exeter, and Portsmouth.
Currently, the Executive Council has four Republicans and one Democrat.
Soldati, the owner of Teatotaller café, and Morgan, a former state senator, are relatively well-known Democrats taking on established incumbent Republicans. However, both districts lean Republican.
The Executive Council districts have been gerrymandered “pretty good” by Republicans, said UNH Survey Center Director Andrew Smith. But he does believe it’s possible for some seats to be flipped by Democrats.
“I could easily see a 3-2, either way. But you know, the second district is going to go Democrat no matter what, first district is almost certainly to go Republican,” Smith said. “And so there’s potential, but that would have to be kind of in a blowout election.”
He said that it’s not “candidate vs candidate” in the Executive Council races, but “R vs D,” especially because executive councilors in New Hampshire are relatively unknown.
Morgan has won before in a similar situation: in 2018, he bested incumbent Sen. Bill Gannon, R-Sandown, in the red-leaning state Senate district. When he announced his 2024 run for Executive Council, he said he “knows how to win in a district where we’re not supposed to win.” (Morgan lost re-election to Gannon in 2020, however.)
Still, “it’s a heavy lift for the Democrats,” said UNH politics professor Dante Scala.
“Any potentially competitive race definitely kind of tilts in a Republican direction because of the way the districts have been drawn,” he added.
What is the NH Executive Council?
New Hampshire’s Executive Council is made up of five members who each represent about one-fifth of the state, or about 263,000 New Hampshire citizens. They are elected every two years. Republicans currently hold a 4-1 majority.
The Executive Council works with the governor to oversee the administration of state affairs. They confirm most state contracts and approve the appointments of department heads and judges.
One type of state contracts the Executive Council approves is with reproductive health care centers. Over the past three years, the Council has faced some controversy for the four Republicans’ repeated votes against funding for three reproductive health care centers that provide low-cost basic reproductive health care, like cancer screenings, STD testing, and contraception because the centers also provide abortions, despite audits showing the state and federal funds aren’t used for abortions.
Executive councilors often have low name recognition, but that hasn’t stopped the seat from being used as a launching pad for higher office. Gov. Chris Sununu was first an executive councilor before becoming governor, as was U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas.
District 1: Kenney vs Soldati
Kenney has served six terms on the Executive Council. Before that, he served three terms in the state Senate and four terms in the New Hampshire House. He was also the 2008 Republican nominee for governor.
Kenney’s top priorities are watching out for wasteful spending in state government, work force development, and pushing for mental health and drug and alcohol services in the state.
Kenney said in his responses to Seacoastonline’s candidate questionnaire that the funding of Planned Parenthood contracts is “always a sensitive topic” and that he has voted against it because “The Council has felt the co-mingling of funds constitute an indirect support for abortion services.”
Candidate questionnaire: Joseph Kenney, District 1
Kenney said that he has worked well with both Republican and Democratic governors during his time in the state house and on the Executive Council. His saying is, “If it’s a problem for you, then it’s a problem for me, then let’s solve it together.”
Soldati is the owner of Teatotaller café in Concord, which is known for being a “queer, hipster oasis.” In January, he won a small claim case against Meta for deleting his café’s Instagram account.
Soldati has run for Executive Council before, losing in the Democratic primary for District 2 to Cinde Warmington in 2020. Soldati is also Board Member of The Charitable Foundation and a Board Member of the Greater Rochester Community Health Foundation.
Soldati’s top priorities are to support nomination of pro-public school education commissioner, to fund Planned Parenthood and other reproductive healthcare centers, and to support nominations of clean energy champions for the Public Utilities Commission and Department of Energy.
Candidate questionnaire: Emmett Soldati, District 1
“I have a lifelong commitment to my community whether through supporting the rights of LGBTQ folks, people in recovery (of which I’m one), helping access to reproductive care through co-founding the Tri-City Reproductive Coalition, to my fight that saved the historic Hilltop School from demolition,” he said in a Seacoastonline questionnaire. “I believe in the power of small communities and will fight for the rights of all Granite Staters.”
District 3: Stevens vs Morgan
Stevens is seeking her third term in the Executive Council. She became the second Republican woman elected to the body in 2020.
Stevens said that her top three priorities are expanding housing, improving healthcare access, and securing infrastructure funding. She said she has “consistently supported contracts for women’s healthcare with New Hampshire’s Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), including expanded access in my district.”
Some of the accomplishments Stevens is particularly proud of include highlighting safety concerns at Hampstead Hospital, helping state retirees receive prescriptions, and securing federal relief funds during the coronavirus pandemic.
Candidate questionnaire: Janet Stevens, District 3
“I take great pride in my record of service to the 266,000+ residents of District Three and all New Hampshire citizens,” she said.
Morgan is a former state senator from Brentwood. He served for one term from 2018-2020.
He is currently a Brentwood selectman and works in cybersecurity.
As an executive councilor, Morgan said his top priorities would be to fund Planned Parenthood and approve other reproductive health center contracts, appoint a commissioner of education “who supports public education,” and prioritize economic development.
Candidate questionnaire: Jon Morgan, District 3
“Every action I take, every decision I make, is grounded in a desire to improve our communities and ensure a better future for the next generation,” Morgan said in response to Seacoastonline’s candidate questionnaire. “I’m here to make a difference. My approach is focused on practical solutions, accessibility, and fairness, and I pride myself on being open and available to my constituents. I believe in listening to all voices, regardless of political affiliation, and working toward common-sense solutions that make life better for everyone in New Hampshire.”
Other Executive Council races
A small portion of the Seacoast is represented by District 4, which dips into Lee and Barrington. There, Democrat Jim O’Connell is facing off against Republican John Stephen. They are running to replace retiring Ted Gatsas.
District 2, the one Democratic-leaning district that covers the western and mid-section of the state including Concord and Hanover, features a race between Democrat Karen Liot Hill of Lebanon and Republican Kim Strathdee of Plymouth. The winner will replace Cinde Warmington, who lost the Democratic primary for governor.
In District 5, Republican incumbent David Wheeler of Milford is challenged by Melanie Levesque of Brookline. The district represents the southwestern corner of the state.
The federal government has activated the New Hampshire National Guard’s 157th Air Refueling Wing in connection with the war with Iran.
“I’ve had a briefing myself, a classified briefing, but it’s really important on the messaging on this that we really coordinate with the Pentagon,” Gov. Kelly Ayotte told reporters during a press briefing following Wednesday’s Executive Council meeting.
Ayotte said she was unable to share additional details about the nature of the New Hampshire National Guard’s activity related to the conflict, including how many guard members have been activated or what role they are playing.
“We’re going to respect what messaging comes out of the Pentagon just to make sure that our men and women in uniform are fully protected and that we aren’t providing any information that could be used in a way that would be harmful to them,” Ayotte said.
In a statement Thursday, Ayotte said the unit had been deployed in late February to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in support of the operation.
Earlier this week, Pentagon officials confirmed that members of the Vermont National Guard were involved in attacks against Iran over the weekend, though our news partners at Vermont Public were not able to confirm additional details on the nature of the operation.
During the briefing with local reporters, Ayotte also stressed her support for servicemembers and those close to them.
“I have such respect for our men and women in uniform,” Ayotte said. “As you know, I come from a military family, and they have our full support, and we appreciate them and their families, and obviously anyone who is serving right now, and my thoughts and prayers go out to those who have lost someone that they love.”
By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
CONCORD – While Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte has said she opposes increasing highway toll rates across the state, the Senate voted Thursday to increase rates for out-of-state license plate holders.
It now goes to the House for consideration.
This would be a $1 increase for those who have out of state plates going through the tolls at Hooksett, Hampton and Bedford for out-of-state plates, a 75 cent hike for those taking Hampton’s Exit 2 and on the Spaulding turnpike at Rochester, and a 50 cent hike for those taking the exit off I-93 to Hooksett.
An analysis in the bill shows that this would increase toll revenue by $53.3 million in fiscal year 2027 and go up each year to generate $81.4 million a year in 2036.
Senate Bill 627 passed on a voice vote with two Republicans, Senators Regina Birdsell of Hampstead and William Gannon of Sandown opposing.
Senator Mark E. McConkey, R-Freedom, moved to take the bill off the table and offered an amendment.
He said the last time there was a systemwide increase to the turnpike toll was 19 years ago.
“I am sure we could all agree the cost of operations…has continued to escalate when revenue is not rising with it,” and he noted that with an enterprise fund, the state can only spend what it takes in.
The state has just completed a 10-year highway plan and there was a $400 million shortfall in projects that could not be paid for under the current income.
McConkey said the measure would not increase tolls for New Hampshire drivers with a state license plate.
“Why don’t we ask our neighbors,” to pay a toll increase. “We are getting the best of all worlds,” by passing the bill, he said, including “protecting our residents” and having resources for improvements to the turnpike system.
Sen. Gannon, R-Sandown, asked McConkey if there are any studies on impacts near the border on businesses.
If implemented, McConkey said the state will be the 27th lowest in per mile cost still. McConkey said the bill would also increase from seven to 14 days the amount of time for those with NH license plates to pay for a toll adding there are other states that also have different rates for out-of-state users.
The Hampton toll cost would go from $2 to $3, while Hooksett and Bedford would rise from $1 to $2 for out-of-state plates.
New Hampshire currently has the lowest rate per mile among states with tolls roads.
The governor said she does not support a toll increase.
“We are not going to put a burden on drivers for a toll increase,” Ayotte said. “Families are struggling.”
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