Hassan: Joyce Craig leads the New Hampshire way

Serving as New Hampshire’s governor was one of the greatest privileges of my life. Particularly in an independent state like New Hampshire, I knew that as governor, my job wasn’t to just represent the people that voted for me – the governor’s job is to serve everyone and do what’s right for our state. It also means putting our Live Free or Die values ahead of partisan politics and championing freedom for all – including a woman’s freedom to make her own health care decisions. In New Hampshire’s governor’s race this year, there is only one candidate who knows how to bring people together, who will stand up for our Live Free or Die values and fight for all Granite Staters: Joyce Craig.

Joyce exemplifies the kind of smart, common-sense, and bipartisan leadership that has marked New Hampshire’s best governors, whether Republican or Democratic. As mayor, she worked hand-in-hand with business leaders to help make Manchester a leader in entrepreneurship and high-tech manufacturing, bringing in millions in investments and thousands of new jobs. She worked with law enforcement, reducing crime and increasing the number of police officers to create the largest force in Manchester’s history. While she would be the first to say that there is more work to be done, on her watch violent crime dropped by nearly 40%. Joyce knows that the issues facing our state aren’t easy, but she also knows that the best way to overcome them is by working together. That’s always been the New Hampshire way.

Joyce Craig’s executive experience and record make it clear that as governor she will be able to tackle the most important challenges facing our state. As mayor, she delivered results. We all know, for instance, that the housing crisis is holding our families and economy back. We can’t attract new businesses or skilled workers if people can’t even afford to live here. As mayor, Joyce made real progress on this front; under her leadership, more than 2,000 new housing units were created in Manchester. She knows it will take statewide leadership to support the construction of affordable new homes and apartments for hard-working Granite Staters all across our state – and Joyce’s record tells us that she’s the leader who can help us achieve that goal.

In any given year, Joyce’s executive experience, proven record, and collaborative leadership would make her a great candidate for governor. But I’m writing today because the stakes this year, in this election, make Joyce’s election particularly important. Like the majority of Granite Staters, I was horrified and outraged by the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. But even before the Supreme Court acted, anti-choice politicians in Concord passed the first abortion ban in our state’s modern history. We need a pro-choice governor again in the corner office, one who will champion reproductive freedom. For those who think New Hampshire Republicans won’t act to further restrict abortion rights in our state, remember: We also thought Roe would never be overturned. But it happened.

Joyce will always fight for a woman’s fundamental freedom to make her own health care decision. But her opponent, Kelly Ayotte, has repeatedly tried to take that right away. When she was a U.S. senator, Ayotte voted for a national abortion ban. She also voted repeatedly to defund Planned Parenthood. In state after state, women have lost their freedom because of draconian abortion bans, and if Donald Trump wins in November, he will try to ban abortion nationwide. And even if Trump doesn’t win, Republican politicians in New Hampshire will continue to push harmful restrictions on women’s access to birth control and health care. In this time of peril for a woman’s fundamental freedom, Kelly Ayotte is a particularly bad fit for the Granite State’s corner office. We need someone who will hold the line against anti-choice restrictions and who will stand up for freedom. For everyone.

More than ever, we need a governor who will lead the New Hampshire way. As Granite Staters, we know that freedom matters, and our best governors understood that freedom always comes first. Our love of freedom defines us; it’s why we are proud to call the Live Free or Die State home. We’ll always have our debates and disagreements – that’s just part of living in a democracy. But our best governors have understood that it’s their job to represent everyone and to stand for freedom for all. We need a leader who can bring people together and deliver results and who has the conviction to stand up for our freedoms and our families when it really counts. Joyce Craig is exactly that kind of leader and the Live Free or Die state needs her as our next governor.

Maggie Hassan is a former New Hampshire governor now serving her second term in the U.S. Senate.