“For me, it’s trusting women to make their own health care decisions,” Craig said at the end of the roundtable. “We need to codify access to abortion in New Hampshire, and I will work to do that as governor.”
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Under current law in New Hampshire, abortions are allowed until 24 weeks of gestation. After that, pregnancies can be terminated only when there are medical emergencies or “fetal abnormalities incompatible with life.” Health care providers who violate the law risk civil and criminal penalties.
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“With no protections for abortion in New Hampshire, this issue will be top of mind for Granite State voters on Election Day and is poised to be the deciding factor up and down the ballot,” said Kayla Montgomery, vice president of public affairs at Planned Parenthood New Hampshire Action Fund.
Would it be possible to affirmatively protect abortion rights in New Hampshire state law and also keep some version of the tighter restrictions after 24 weeks of pregnancy?
“That’s a discussion we can have,” Craig told The Boston Globe. “But the important point in this is trusting women to make their own health care decisions and not holding doctors criminally responsible.”
During a New Hampshire Public Radio debate on Tuesday, Ayotte reiterated her commitment to veto any legislation that would tighten abortion restrictions in the state.
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Republican gubernatorial candidate Kelly Ayotte, who faces Democrat Joyce Craig in the November 2024 election for New Hampshire governor, visited a local concrete coating business in Manchester, N.H., on Oct. 16.Charles Krupa/Associated Press
Ayotte said she has “always” supported exceptions to allow for abortions in cases of rape or incest or when the mother’s life is in danger, and she left open the possibility of signing legislation to loosen the state’s current law accordingly.
“Obviously if there are other issues that come up with the law that need to be addressed, of course I am willing to address them,” Ayotte said. “But I would not allow anything more restrictive in our state, and that’s really important.”
When asked whether she would agree to eliminate the law’s criminal and civil penalties, Ayotte said she hadn’t heard of any problems related to those provisions and would have to look into that issue further.
Democrats have contended throughout this campaign cycle that Ayotte’s latest comments don’t align with her track record. They cite, for example, how during her time as a US senator she pushed for federal restrictions on abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy, and after leaving office took on a role shepherding Justice Neil Gorsuch through his confirmation to the US Supreme Court, where he joined in overturning Roe v. Wade.
At Friday’s roundtable, Craig was flanked by former governors and current US senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, who said Ayotte cannot be trusted to keep her word on abortion policy.
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Ayotte, who served as New Hampshire attorney general before her single term in the US Senate, said during the NHPR debate that she views the post-Roe outcome in New Hampshire as appropriate.
“I believe that this issue should be decided by the states,” she said. “New Hampshire decided this.”
That position isn’t shared, however, by most Granite Staters, according to polling conducted this month by the UMass Lowell Center for Public Opinion.
About 6 in 10 likely New Hampshire voters said they either strongly oppose (44 percent) or somewhat oppose (17 percent) leaving it up to each state to decide whether abortion is legal, according to the UMass polling. That includes 87 percent of those who lean Democratic, 36 percent of those who lean Republican, and 54 percent of independents.
Two-thirds of likely New Hampshire voters said they would either strongly support (51 percent) or somewhat support (15 percent) a law establishing a nationwide right to abortion, according to the polling. That includes 83 percent of those who lean Democratic, 48 percent of those who lean Republican, and 61 percent of independents.
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Montgomery said the poll makes clear “there is a strong consensus among Granite Staters that abortion rights must be protected.”
Ayotte has been endorsed by outgoing Governor Chris Sununu and said she would keep the state moving down the same path as it has been during Sununu’s eight years in office.
While the Republican incumbent remains popular in the state, those who disapprove of him cited his handling of abortion as their top reason, according to polling over the summer by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center.
Sununu outperformed Donald J. Trump on the ballot in 2016 and 2020. Ayotte would likely need to replicate that on Nov. 5 to beat Craig, since polling shows Vice President Kamala D. Harris leading Trump by 7 percentage points or more in the state.
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Steven Porter can be reached at steven.porter@globe.com. Follow him @reporterporter.
Sunflowers are my absolute FAVORITE flowers. I truly feel like they have magical uplifting abilities. Hence, why I’ve always kept fresh sunflowers in my house, brightening up my kitchen table or even my TV stand.
Obviously, it was a dream of mine to have my maternity photos taken in a sunflower field. They reflect sunshine and exude happiness.
Not to mention, one of my favorite quotes is about sunflowers! “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. It’s what sunflowers do.” Helen Keller
A beautiful reminder to keep an optimistic outlook on life and not dwell on the negative.
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So, you can imagine the joy I felt when I learned that New Hampshire had its very own Sunflower Festival at Coppal House Farm in Lee!
Coppal House Farm via FacebookCoppal House Farm via Facebook
About the Sunflower Festival:
During the summer, the farm transforms into a sea of golden blooms, giving visitors the chance to wander through thousands of sunflowers, snap photos, enjoy local food vendors, artisan crafts, listen to live music, and experience one of New Hampshire’s most beautiful summer traditions.
Other unique activities on the itinerary? Sip-n-snip! Guests can enjoy a cocktail or mocktail of their choice and cut their own fresh bouquet of flowers.
Coppal House Farm via FacebookCoppal House Farm via Facebook
Or maybe you’re a yoga fan? You can join a 60-minute sweat session from Lee, New Hampshire yoga instructors right in the heart of the flower field.
And because the farm grows oilseed sunflowers for culinary oil (which they harvest in the fall months), the flowers only stay at their peak for a brief window, making the festival a limited-time experience, according to the festival organizers…
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What makes this event even more special is the reason behind it. The festival started as a way to share the beauty of the sunflower fields, but it has grown into something much bigger. Organizers say the event has raised more than $90,000 for Make-A-Wish New Hampshire over the years and now shares a portion of its proceeds with several local nonprofit organizations serving the Seacoast community.
Anyone who knows me knows that paying it forward is something that’s incredibly important to me. It’s right up there with my love of sunflowers because both fill my cup in the best way. So, when I found out this festival celebrates my favorite flower and gives back to the community, I knew I had to share it.
Sunflower Festival Details:
This festival only runs from Saturday, July 25th until Sunday, August 2nd. You can get the full list of activities and more on the Coppal Farm website.
Daily Field Hours
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10:00 AM – 6:30 PM (last admission at 6PM because fields close at 6:30) Weekend Tickets (prepurchased online – day before) $12 per person ages 13 & older $10 per person ages 5-12 $10 per person Seniors (65+) & Military 4 yrs & under are always free Weekend Tickets (purchased day of – online or at farm): $16 per person ages 13 & older $14 per person ages 5-12 $14 per person Seniors (65+) & Military 4 yrs & under are always free includes: access to sunflower fields, craft fair, food vending area, tented shade area, picnic area, farm animals, & live music
Weekday Tickets (prepurchased online – day before) $8 per person ages 13 & older $6 per person ages 5-12 $6 per person Seniors (65+) & Military 4 yrs & under are always free
Weekday Tickets (purchased day of – online or at farm) $12 per person ages 13 & older $10 per person ages 5-12 $10 per person Seniors (65+) & Military 4 yrs & under are always free
What tickets include: Access to sunflower fields, food vending area, tented shade area, picnic area, and farm animals
READ MORE: A Classic Fairy Tale Comes To Life At Portsmouth’s Prescott Park This Summer
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This festival might just leave you smiling long after you leave the fields!
What Flowers Thrive in New England
See what flowers thrive in New England weather: Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.
Gallery Credit: Logan
14 of the Best New Hampshire Farms Offering Locally Grown Strawberries
14 of the Best New Hampshire Farms Offering PYO Strawberries
Ed. Note: If this was you and you are interested, please email [email protected] so I can put you in touch with OP.
“Dear PoPville,
I was biking home from a doctor appointment a little before noon on Friday, and stopped at a red light on New Hampshire & L st nw. There was a woman across the street who was looking fine in her dark blue (I think they were) scrubs. I might be crazy, but it felt like we kept checking each other out. By the third time,
if we were in a romcom, one of us would have waved. Sorry I didn’t, but if you are reading this and date men, reach out to the Prince if you are interested in that man on the bike. Have a great weekend!”
Ed. Note: If this is you, please email [email protected] so I can put you in touch with OP. PoPville is not affiliated with either party, please proceed with any potential connection at your own risk using caution as you would any online encounter. For those curious about past missed connections, many have been made and when possible I’ll try to update when/if more are made.
A New Hampshire motorcyclist who had been missing since the Fourth of July was found dead in Shelburne late Thursday night.
State police say they received a request from the Berlin Police Department just after 7:30 p.m. Thursday for help locating 41-year-old Wesley Grondin — the Berlin man was last seen riding his motorcycle on Saturday, July 4, and had been reported missing.
Troopers received a call a couple of hours later, around 10:10 p.m. Thursday, from a concerned resident who had been out looking for Grondin along Route 2 in Shelburne. The person told police they had found Grondin dead, along with his Harley Davidson.
According to state police, a preliminary investigation determined that Grondin was riding his Harley on Route 2 westbound in Shelburne when, for reasons that remain under investigation, he crossed over into the opposing lane, struck a post, and came to a final rest in the wood line.
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The crash is believed to have occurred just before midnight on July 4. At this time, police say there’s no indication that another vehicle or person was involved.
All aspects of the crash remain under investigation, however. Anyone with information that may assist investigators is asked to contact Trooper Hunter Newsham at Hunter.P.Newsham@dos.nh.gov.
