New Hampshire
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.
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.
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.”
“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.”
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.”
Emma Platoff can be reached at emma.platoff@globe.com. Follow her @emmaplatoff.

New Hampshire
Former Senator Meets With Southern New Hampshire Chamber Of Commerce Members

WINDHAM, NH — The Southern New Hampshire Chamber of Commerce’s Government Affairs Committee was proud to welcome former U.S. Senator John Sununu for a lively and insightful Coffee & Conversation event bringing together business leaders, community voices, and public policy in one meaningful dialogue.
Held in Windham, the morning event offered attendees a unique opportunity to engage in a candid, no-nonsense discussion on the pressing issues facing our region and beyond from inflation and the economy to leadership and the future of New Hampshire’s communities.
Senator Sununu shared thoughtful perspectives drawn from his time in public office and private industry, sparking valuable conversation among attendees. Chamber members and community participants came ready with questions, and the result was a rich, engaging exchange of ideas that reflected the energy and intelligence of the Southern NH business community.
The Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee remains committed to connecting members with policymakers and providing relevant, timely programming to keep businesses informed and engaged. From events like Coffee & Conversation to the annual Concord Update, the Committee creates platforms for constructive dialogue and deeper understanding of the legislative issues that shape our economy.
To learn more about upcoming events and how to get involved with the Chamber, visit southernnhchamber.com or call 603-893-3177.
Photo caption, from left to right: Julie McAdoo, Exsum Group, LLC; Kerianne Pereira, Lowell Five Bank; Jeff Murphy, SFC Engineering Partnership Inc.; Former U.S. Senator John Sununu; Cindi Woodbury, Executive Director, Southern New Hampshire Chamber of Commerce; Bernard W. Campbell, Campbell’s Scottish Highlands Golf Course; Aaron Shamshoyan, Salem School District.
Submitted by Southern New Hampshire Chamber of Commerce
New Hampshire
James J. DePalo – Concord Monitor

James J. DePalo
Epsom, NH – James J. DePalo, 78, of Epsom, NH, passed away surrounded by family on Thursday, October 16, 2025; at the Merrimack Community Hospice House.
He was born in Framingham, MA on April 6, 1947, son of the late Dr. Thomas DePalo and Caroline (Aggasiz) DePalo. James grew up in Milford, MA, was educated in the local schools and went on to earn his associate’s degree in business from Fisher Jr. College in Worcester, MA.
He proudly served his country in the United States Marine Corps. He fought in Vietnam and was later assigned to presidential guard duty at Camp David under President Nixon. James worked for several years as a sales manager for Auto Zone and later for Quest Service Group performing fixture and display installations at box retail stores. He was an avid motorcyclist and took several tours to Lake George with his kids in his side car. He enjoyed both waterskiing and snow skiing. He was an all-around handyman, and you could always find him tinkering and fixing things. He also enjoyed reading and loved his family.
He is survived by his wife Kathleen (Dudley) DePalo with whom he shared 48 years of marriage, son, Raymond DePalo and daughter, Marybeth DePalo, sister, Connie (DePalo) Hourihan and her husband Richard, grandchildren, Isabella and David McSweeney, many nieces and nephews, as well as his beloved dog, “Sirus.”
Calling hours will be held on Monday, October 27th from 10Am-11:30AM at the Roan Family Funeral Home – Still Oaks Chapel, 1217 Suncook Valley, Epsom. A brief service will be held in the funeral home beginning at 11:30AM. Interment will follow with military honors at 1PM in the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to either the Merrimack Community Hospice House, 210 Naticook Road, Merrimack, NH 03054 or to Tunnels to Towers, 2361 Hylan Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10306. To share a memory or offer a condolence please visit www.roanfamilyfuneral.com
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New Hampshire
Massachusetts Driver Dies After New Hampshire State Police Pursuit And Crash On Interstate 93 North

CONCORD, NH — A driver from Massachusetts was killed after being accused of speeding on Interstate 93 from Concord to Canterbury before crashing and dying, according to New Hampshire State Police.
Just before 1 a.m. Sunday, a trooper attempted to stop a car near Exit 12 on the northbound side of the highway. State police said the driver, later identified as Benjamin Tapia Gately, 20, of Saugus, MA, failed to stop and a chase ensued. During the pursuit, state police accused Gately of driving erratically and speeding up to 120 mph on the Interstate.
“As the Honda approached Exit 18, the driver attempted to take the off-ramp but lost control,” state police said. “The vehicle went off the road, crossed the northbound on-ramp, went down an embankment, and struck a tree.”
Gately was ejected from the car and died despite emergency responders from Canterbury Fire and Rescue attempting to save his life. No other people were in the car.
The crash remains under investigation, state police said.
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