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New Hampshire

At the Democratic National Convention, breakfast isn’t just bacon and eggs – The Boston Globe

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At the Democratic National Convention, breakfast isn’t just bacon and eggs – The Boston Globe


At the national party conventions, state delegation breakfasts are in part organizational events, where weary state party staffers hand out credentials and preview the day’s schedule, not unlike camp counselors rallying their adult wards for the day. But the gatherings also offer revealing glimpses at political up-and-comers, who spend their early-morning hours with the party faithful they will need to secure higher office down the line. Their remarks are typically brief — sometimes funny, sometimes heartfelt, always laudatory of the state they’re addressing. For strong speakers, they end in standing ovations.

Savvy politicos make the rounds, moving with discipline from hotel ballroom to hotel ballroom and often hitting multiple breakfasts per day. Not all 50 are created equal: The A-list speakers pay particular attention to battlegrounds, influential delegations, and, of course, the early nominating states that could decide their fates should they pursue the presidency.

That elite status was clear this week for humble New Hampshire, with a breakfast speaker line up that included many of the party’s buzziest names. Vermont’s breakfast may have had maple syrup shots, but its New England neighbor heard from a who’s who of the party’s up and comers, including some who have run for president before or are looking to in the future, and some who were under consideration to serve as Harris’s running mate. Delegates enjoyed bacon, eggs, and potatoes as speakers addressed them from a podium flanked by inflatable coconut trees, an apparent tribute to the now-famous Harris line.

Not every state got the same attention. Shapiro was on the schedule to speak to a Massachusetts breakfast on Thursday, but did not appear. He did not miss his appointment with the New Hampshire delegation Wednesday morning, though.

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The status of the state’s first-in-the-nation primary is uncertain on the Democratic side, after the national party pushed it later in the nominating calendar and New Hampshire rebelled. But the early contest, and the outsize power it gives this state of just 1.4 million people, was nonetheless at the center of the conversation.

“Speaking of New Hampshire, the primary is back!” laughed retiring New Hampshire Congresswoman Annie Kuster as she introduced Booker to the delegation on Thursday morning.

“I’m like, it’s home,” Booker said as he took the podium to applause. “I just love your state. I spent so much time there — I don’t know if you all know this, I ran for president in 2020.”

Ten minutes later, the crowd was on its feet applauding him, and state party chair Raymond Buckley had to chastise attendees for lining up for selfies and delaying the rest of the stacked program.

“You know, Cory Booker’s been to New Hampshire about 455 times, and he’s coming back,” Buckley chided.

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For some of the state’s youngest delegates, access to the party’s future stars has been a highlight of the convention.

“Who’s gonna be there in ‘28, and who’s gonna be there in ‘32, and how many meals have we already had with them?” laughed Samay Sahu, a 20-year-old Dartmouth student. “Have I met them already? Have we taken a selfie?”

New Hampshire is “small” but “mighty,” Sahu added, crediting the primary for its political power.

Khanna, the California congressman seen as having presidential ambitions, attended more than a dozen state delegation breakfasts this week. A prominent poster near the New Hampshire delegation’s breakfast buffet thanked its sponsors; Khanna was at the top, and he was one of the few sponsors who did not live in the Granite State.

“I have gone to Michigan, to Pennsylvania, Wisconsin,” Khanna told reporters on Tuesday, naming a slate of battleground states as he spoke about the importance of introducing delegates to “the next generation of talent.”

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“It’s about getting the right economic message for the party and figuring out what the right message is to win in the fall and going and talking to delegates, talking to people across the breakfasts, helps you figure that out,” he said.

And does the ambitious congressman have particular affection for the first-in-the-nation primary state?

“I love New Hampshire because it’s a state that values ideas. It’s a state that values retail politics,” Khanna said. He added that he has long been a supporter of New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primary, “and I’m pretty confident that it’ll have a big role going forward.”

Paying extra attention to states such as New Hampshire is nothing new in national politics. It was a similar scene at the Republican National Convention last month in Milwaukee, where onetime presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy sponsored a breakfast for the state, his smiling face featured on posters outside the room. The state’s Republican delegation heard from Ramaswamy and Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Bill Shaheen, husband of Senator Jeanne Shaheen and DNC committeeman for New Hampshire, said in an interview after breakfast Thursday that his state “has a tradition of being involved and being active, and I think we can help give these people who want to run for president guidance.”

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Sahu, who introduced Boston Mayor Michelle Wu when she addressed the New Hampshire breakfast earlier this week, said he was “bawling” when they heard from Buttigieg, whom he reveres.

“The thing is, even though we’re seeing them, and I get to be, what, two feet away from Wes Moore, it’s almost not that big of a deal,” Sahu added. “Because he’s gonna come back to New Hampshire.”


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Emma Platoff can be reached at emma.platoff@globe.com. Follow her @emmaplatoff.





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New Hampshire

Obituary for George Russell Benoit at Rivet Funeral Home & Crematorium Inc.

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Obituary for George Russell Benoit at Rivet Funeral Home & Crematorium Inc.


George Russell Benoit, 19, lifelong resident of Merrimack, NH passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, December 19th, 2024. He was born in Manchester, NH on July 6th, 2005, one of two sons of Michael and Mary Russell Benoit. Raised in Merrimack, he was a graduate of Merrimack High School in 2023



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New Hampshire

4 people die from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning in New Hampshire

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4 people die from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning in New Hampshire


Four people have died from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning in a New Hampshire residence, according to officials who reported that the victims were found dead on Christmas.

The Wakefield, N.H. Police Department responded to 2962 Province Lake Road for a welfare check at around 4:21 p.m. on Wednesday.

When police officers arrived, they found four people who were dead. Investigators from the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office were requested to respond to the scene.

The names of the four victims, all adults, were being withheld pending next of kin notification.

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“While the investigation remains active and ongoing, at this time, investigators believe the victims died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning,” New Hampshire officials wrote in a release.

Autopsies were scheduled to be performed by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner on Thursday to confirm the cause and manner of death for each of the victims.

“State Fire Marshal Toomey would like to remind everyone of the importance of having working carbon monoxide alarms in their homes,” officials wrote. “In the event of an alarm activation, residents should immediately exit their homes and call 9-1-1. Anyone with questions about home fire and carbon monoxide safety should contact their local fire department or the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office.”

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause sudden illness and death if inhaled, according to the CDC. It claims the lives of hundreds of people every year and makes thousands more ill.

Many household items including gas- and oil-burning furnaces, portable generators, and charcoal grills produce this poison gas.

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“Install battery-operated or battery back-up CO detectors near every sleeping area in your home,” the CDC states. “Check CO detector batteries when you change the time on your clocks each spring and fall to be sure they are functioning properly… Replace your CO detector following the manufacturer’s instructions or every 5 years. Set a reminder on your smartphone or other device calendar when you purchase and install the detector.”

Anyone with information that may help with the Wakefield investigation is urged to contact the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office at 603-223-4289 or fmo@dos.nh.gov.

The New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office was assisted at the scene by members of Wakefield Fire Rescue, the Wakefield Police Department, and the New Hampshire State Police.



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New Hampshire

Four dead after apparent carbon monoxide exposure in Wakefield, N.H., authorities say – The Boston Globe

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Four dead after apparent carbon monoxide exposure in Wakefield, N.H., authorities say – The Boston Globe


Four people were found dead late Wednesday afternoon at a home in Wakefield, N.H., after an apparent carbon monoxide exposure, New Hampshire State Police said.

At 4:21 p.m., police responded to 2962 Province Lake Road for a welfare check, State Police said in a statement.

Police found multiple adults dead inside, the statement said.

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The identities of the victims were not released “pending next of kin notification,” according to the statement.

Investigators from the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office assisted at the scene, authorities said. Wakefield Fire Rescue, Wakefield Police Department, and New Hampshire State Police also provided aid at the scene, officials said.

The official causes of death will be determined by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner on Thursday, according to the statement.

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation can contact the State Fire Marshal’s Office at 603-223-4289 or fmo@dos.nh.gov.

State Fire Marshal Sean P. Toomey said residents should ensure they have working carbon monoxide alarms in their homes, the statement said. Residents should immediately exit their homes and call 9-1-1 when an alarm is activated, according to the statement.

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Carbon monoxide is an odorless and colorless gas that can be produced by household items including burning furnaces, portable generators, and charcoal grills, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.

Some common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, described as “flu-like,” are headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain and confusion, the website said.


Kiera McDonald can be reached at kiera.mcdonald@globe.com.





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