New Hampshire
Dean Phillips, Marianne Williamson debate: Who are the Dems battling to unseat Biden?
MANCHESTER — Presidential candidates Dean Phillips and Marianne Williamson took part in the first Democratic New Hampshire primary debate in the 2024 season Monday.
Phillips and Williamson have struggled to gain traction against President Joe Biden, despite the fact Biden hasn’t campaigned in person in the Granite State. Biden’s name isn’t on the ballot of the first-in-the-nation primary, which is not sanctioned by the Democratic National Committee.
Who are Marianne Williamson and Dean Phillips?
Williamson is an author and speaker who gained fame as Oprah Winfrey’s “spiritual adviser.” She unsuccessfully ran for president in 2020, but gained notoriety for her distinctive focus on using energy and love to save the nation. Williamson appears to be using similar tactics this time around: at the debate, she called for the disruption of the “unholy alliance” between government and corporate power, a “recovery czar instead of a drug czar,” and a “Peace Academy” along with the military academy.
Phillips is the representative for Minnesota’s Third Congressional District. He also describes himself as a businessman, having run his family’s distillery and helping to build the gelato brand Talenti. He has focused his whole campaign on New Hampshire, seeing an opening with a Biden-less ballot. He been vocal about being an alternative to Biden, who he said, “will lose to Donald Trump.” In his opening remarks, he said he was part of the “exhausted majority, disgusted with both parties,” and he would “win against either” Trump or Nikki Haley, two of the Republican candidates.
Voter guide: Dean Phillips on the issues
Voter guide: Marrianne Williamson on the issues
Which issues are candidates focused on in 2024?
Both candidates expressed their disappointment with the Democratic National Committee and Biden ignoring New Hampshire and themselves. “Candidate suppression is a form of voter suppression,” Williamson said. Phillips said a DNC letter calling the New Hampshire primary “meaningless” is “(one of) the most egregious affronts to democracy I’ve ever seen in my lifetime” and that “Democrats are sleepwalking into disaster” by throwing their support behind the current president.
The candidates agreed on many of the issues, employing slightly different plans. On economics, Williamson talked about her “economic bill of rights” which includes the right to a job, universal healthcare and tuition-free higher education.
Phillips described his “American Dream Accounts,” in which every baby born in America would start their life with $1,000.
On their top priorities, Phillips cited economic despair, and Williamson called for cancelling the Willow Project, an oil drilling project in Alaska.
The candidates riffed when asked to name one Republican they admire. Phillips chose Liz Cheney because of how she spoke up against former President Donald Trump for his actions leading up to and during the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol, during which he was trapped with Cheney and several other congressional leaders.
“I do admire what Liz Cheney did standing up to Donald Trump, but none of us should be deceived. She voted with him 90, 99 percent of the time,” Williamson said.
What are their chances?
Both Williamson and Phillips bemoaned the Democratic Party’s reactions to their candidacies. Williamson talked about the “invisibili-zation of her campaign,” while Phillips described Washington Democrats as treating him with “extraordinary hypocrisy and meanness.”
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and Rep. Annie Kuster of New Hampshire are among prominent New Hampshire Democrats standing with Biden and helping to promote a write-in campaign for the state’s primary on his behalf. Nationally, Phillips and Williamson have been largely ignored; Florida’s Democratic Party, for example, has only submitted Biden’s name for the state’s primary ballot.
Even though his name is not on the ballot, an early January poll by Emerson College put Biden in the lead with 69%. Phillips was at 5%, and Williamson at 3%.
The room in Manchester where Phillips and Williamson spoke was largely filled with high school and college students, many of whom are not yet old enough to vote.
“Based on what I just saw after the debate, the interest in the ideas and the excitement is really exciting,” said Phillips of the students. “I think there are some eligible voters in there. You know what? They’re going to talk to their parents in front of the dining table. They’ll go to school, talk to their teachers.”
New Hampshire
TRAENE Fitness Pickleball Brings Pickleball Courts And Wellness Options To Dover
Dover, New Hampshire is finally going to see something go into the old Ames Building, (same plaza as Hannaford) at 833 Central Avenue. It’s not just “something,” it’s a Community space we didn’t know we wanted.
Justin Grondahl is the owner of TRAENE Fitness & Pickleball and he’s opening one here in Dover. He has 63,000 square feet to make beautiful. Justin is the son of the co-founder of Planet Fitness that started right here in Dover, New Hampshire.
Justin spent some time with me here in the Townsquare Studios and told me everything we can expect.
You will not believe what he has in store for this place. It makes me want to move to Dover. (although it’s like my 2nd home – I’m here all. the. time.) Check out what his plans are:
- 10 indoor pickleball courts
- 3,000 Square Foot Classroom for Megaformer Pilates Classes
- 20,000 square feet of just gym equipment
- 2 Cold Plunges
- 3 Saunas, with three floors. Lots of people can fit into them
- Big Locker Rooms
- Red Light Beds
- Massage Chairs
- Massage Beds
- Tanning Booths
TRAENE Recently Added a Peptide Clinic to their Plans
If you are unfamiliar with peptides, they are chains of amino acids that help you heal injuries, build muscles and in some cases, lose weight.
After Justin told me all this, I asked if they will have food and drinks too because it was the only thing I could think of that they didn’t mention! He said, “yes, we’ll have something.”
What’s Up With the Penguin?
When Justin came into the studio, he had a TRAENE branded shirt that included a penguin. When I asked him why a Penguin, he said that it has always been his favorite animal because they are very tied to their Community. They never really leave and they are always together.
READ THIS: 6 Reason’s Why Brown’s Lobster Shack is a NH Seafood Treasure
Justin is already under construction of TRAENE. He said they should be open in the Fall of 2026.
Another incredible perk of being part of the TRAENE community is they are going to pick between 10 – 15 Members of the Month who are going to get rewards like:
- Renting out a race track
- Limo service to Bruins or Celtics games, whichever the member chooses
These trips will be all paid for, all free, Justin said.
New Fitness & Pickeball Center Opening Up in the Fall of 2026 in Dover, NH
As soon as I hear about when TRAENE is opening, I’ll let you know and you and I can get our pickleball team together. Justin did say sometime in the fall, but no specific date.. yet.
8 New Hampshire Restaurants That Closed in January/February 2026
Gallery Credit: Sean McKenna
All Team USA New England Athletes Who Won Medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics
As of Sunday, February 22, 2026, 10 athletes from New England won medals in the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Gallery Credit: Sean McKenna
New Hampshire
NH Lottery Pick 3 Day, Pick 3 Evening winning numbers for April 19, 2026
The New Hampshire Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Sunday, April 19, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 19 drawing
Day: 8-6-2
Evening: 8-8-9
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 19 drawing
Day: 7-6-9-2
Evening: 6-5-8-4
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the New Hampshire Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Pick 3, 4: 1:10 p.m. and 6:55 p.m. daily.
- Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Megabucks Plus: 7:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
- Gimme 5: 6:55 p.m. Monday through Friday.
- Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a New Hampshire managing editor. You can send feedback using this form.
New Hampshire
‘Not cosmetic’: NH lawmaker wants state to cover GLP-1 drugs for weight loss – Concord Monitor
Two years ago, Sue Prentiss got a sobering reality check at her doctor’s office. The news was blunt: She qualified for bariatric surgery, a procedure for patients whose weight poses life-threatening risks.
She was aware of her weight and had tried everything from high-intensity workouts to weight loss programs and diets. Nothing seemed to help until she started taking GLP-1 medications.
Prentiss said between then and now, she had lost almost 80 pounds.
But at a $500 out-of-pocket monthly fee, every refill is a financial pinch.
“I’m just getting by, but I’m so much healthier, and if this can work for me, think about everybody else’s life where this would impact,” said Prentiss, a state senator.
To keep up with the cost, she’s made hard choices like cutting back on retirement contributions and squeezing her budget wherever possible.
Now, Prentiss is sponsoring Senate Bill 455, which would require the state to provide GLP-1 medications under the state Medicaid plan as a treatment for people with obesity.
As of January, New Hampshire’s Medicaid program has ended coverage for GLP-1 drugs like Saxenda, Wegovy and Zepbound for weight loss. The state still covers the medications when they’re part of a treatment plan for other chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, certain cardiovascular diseases, severe sleep apnea and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH).
According to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, the state paid managed care organizations $49.5 million to cover GLP-1 medications between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026. The policy change in January reduced that cost to $41 million.
With these drugs gaining popularity, the state estimated that if were to resume covering GLP-1s for weight loss, it would need to spend an additional $24.2 million on top of the $41 million per fiscal year.
Jonathan Ballard, chief medical officer at DHHS, said the agency opposes the bill, which would require Medicaid coverage for anyone with a body mass index above 30 seeking GLP-1 medications specifically for weight loss.
Ballard said the state cannot afford such an expansion when budgets are already tight.
“The department does not have this money today,” he said. “So, living within the realities of our current budget, there will be significant trade-offs. We will have to cut other things that are very important to the health and well-being of New Hampshire to pay for this unless there’s some change.”
GLP-1 drugs carry a steep price tag that puts significant pressure on state budgets, particularly within Medicaid programs. Several states, including California, Pennsylvania and South Carolina, have moved to drop coverage of these medications for weight loss.
Prentiss initially drafted her legislation with private insurers in mind, but later pivoted to focus on Medicaid to serve more vulnerable populations. She is covered by commercial insurance and said the outcome of the bill will not personally affect her.
Lost coverage
GLP-1 medications mimic a natural hormone in the gut that helps regulate blood sugar, digestion and appetite.
Sarah Finn, section chief for obesity medicine at Dartmouth Health, said she has seen firsthand the impact on her patients after the state dropped Medicaid coverage for weight-loss GLP-1 drugs.
Without access to these medications, patients experience increased hunger, cravings and persistent “food noise,” as their bodies attempt to return to a higher fat percentage, a process known as metabolic adaptation, she said.
“This is the reality of the state I’m in right now, where I don’t have options except bariatric surgery for my Medicaid patients and a lot of times patients don’t want to do a surgery,” said Finn, at a hearing for the bill on Wednesday. “What I have to tell that patient is there’s nothing I could do to advocate.”
The Department of Health and Human Services faced a $51 million budget cut when the New Hampshire Legislature passed its biennial budget last year, forcing the department to reduce several services.
While Prentiss acknowledges the financial strain on the department, she wants the state to consider the long-term impact of using GLP-1s to prevent chronic conditions like diabetes, which is largely linked to weight gain and can drive up costs for the state over time.
“By driving down obesity, we can drive down the costs that are related to it,” she said.
Prentiss remains on GLP-1 medications and said she feels much healthier than before.
She said that after a few months on the drugs, her blood sugar levels and kidney function began trending toward more normal ranges.
“It’s not cosmetic,” she said. “Obesity is a medical condition.”
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