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The 2024 New Hampshire first-in-the-nation presidential primary two weeks ago was international news. But in Portsmouth’s Ward 1, there was more to the story.
Another election held that day was more personal for two good people. Portsmouth residents Jackie Cali-Pitts and Jennifer Mandelbaum ran for the Democratic Party state representative nomination. Mandelbaum advanced with 392 votes over Cali-Pitts, who finished with 253. A special election will be held March 12 between Mandelbaum and Republican Carol A. Bush of Newington.
Jennifer has experience in health care, and during her campaign she emphasized support for affordable housing, public health, gun safety, reproductive rights and strong public schools. She’ll bring that perspective to Concord.
For 24 years, Jackie has been a remarkable public servant as a steady presence for causes of climate change, science, environmental issues, social justice, women’s choice and equality. Fortunately, in a community like ours where every citizen can matter, Jackie’s going to continue her involvement doing good deeds for others. That’s who she is. Congratulations and thanks go to both.
The results of our presidential primary were reported worldwide, but more than just well-known presidential candidates received our votes. In our state anyone can be listed on the ballot who’s 35 years old and pays $1,000. A total of 24 Republicans ran, along with 21 Democrats.
We know that President Joe Biden received a historic number of write-in Democratic votes, followed by U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips and Marianne Williamson, who were on the ballot. On the Republican side, ex-President Donald Trump topped the field, followed by former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley.
But there were others. In Ward 1 on the Democratic ballot Paperboy Love Prince (that’s his name), received three votes, Vermin Supreme got five. On the Republican ballot, Chris Christie received seven, Ron DeSantis, five; Mary Maxwell, three; Mike Pence, two; Vivek Ramaswarmy, one; John Anthony Castro, one.
Citywide, Portsmouth’s Derek Nadeau received 36 votes on the Democratic ballot, nine in Ward 1. Throughout the state he received 1,612 votes, finishing fourth in the Democratic Primary.
City Clerk Kelli Barnaby and her staff, along with more than 100 election officials and volunteers serving in Portsmouth’s five wards, did an incredible job. They worked long hours counting votes publicly, accurately, and efficiently. Theirs was a stressful job, meaning everything has to be done right, while being watched.
Two years ago, I was appointed by the secretary of state to be on an eight-member Voter Confidence Commission that spent a year holding 20 hearings and public meetings throughout the state to learn ways to make our elections even better.
We heard from some residents who believed the conspiracy theories of how fake ballots could be produced and counted or voting machines could be manipulated by out-of-state, even offshore technology. Our report is on the secretary of state’s website: sos.nh.gov/elections/special-committee-voter-confidence
All of that was refuted by our studies, and from what city and town clerks and voting officials told us. Those who yell “stolen election” and “voter fraud” locally or in our state have no truth behind them. As we found out with numerous reviews, recounts, court cases and thorough analysis in other states, there’s no truth to those accusations.
Thanks to Kelli Barnaby, her staff, and citizen volunteers, Portsmouth and New Hampshire run efficient, honest, accurate, transparent elections — always with paper ballots as backup. We do it right.
Volunteers over age 18 up to, well, any age are needed for the Nov. 5 presidential election in Portsmouth. Anyone wanting to see American democracy up close at its best can contact the city clerk’s office. It’s tough work, but you’ll get free coffee, sandwiches and maybe homemade brownies and cake.
You’ll also have a story to tell — that you were part of making our democracy work.
Today’s quote: “Proving that the unknown small business owner stands a chance against the candidates with millions of dollars in campaign spending, campaign managers, and billionaire backers is incredible. I did it all by myself with no money, DNC [Democratic National Committee] support, and without selling my soul to corporate backers.” — Derek Nadeau, presidential candidate from Portsmouth.
Wouldn’t it be great to hear more candidates say that?
Next time: The Jim Hewitt matter — a lot to consider.
Variously since 1969, Jim Splaine has been Portsmouth assistant mayor for six terms, Police Commission and School Board member, as well as New Hampshire state senator for six years and representative for 24 years. He can be reached at jimsplaineportsmouth@gmail.com.
As the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran overtakes the foreign policy debate in Washington, two Democratic governors with potential 2028 presidential aspirations — Gavin Newsom and Andy Beshear — recently traveled to New Hampshire, introducing themselves to the state’s famously engaged voters. The two weighed in on the war and both criticized and questioned President Trump’s strategy and endgame.
“If a president is going to take a country into war, and risk the lives of American troops and Americans in the region, he has to have a real justification and not one that seems to change every five to 10 hours,” Beshear told CBS News after a Democratic fundraiser in Keene.
“This President seems to use force before ever trying diplomacy, and he has a duty to sell it to the American people and to address Congress with it,” Beshear continued. “He hasn’t done any of that. In fact, it appears there isn’t even a plan for what success looks like. He’s gone from regime change to strategic objectives and now is talking about unconditional surrender, which isn’t realistic where he is.”
Beshear also said he thought that Congress should have reined in Mr. Trump’s war powers.
“He is trying to ignore Congress. He’s trying to even ignore the American people,” Beshear said.
He went on to note that the president’s State of the Union address took place “three — four days before he launched this attack,” and Mr. Trump “didn’t even have the respect to tell the American people the threat that he thought Iran posed to us.”
Last week, both the House and the Senate failed to pass resolutions to limit Mr. Trump’s war powers and stop him from taking further military action against Iran without congressional support.
For Newsom, the war with Iran constitutes part of a broader criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
At an event last Tuesday in Los Angeles, Newsom had compared Israel to an “apartheid state.” Later, in New Hampshire, he sought to clarify his comment.
“I was specifically referring to a Tom Friedman [New York Times] column last week, where Tom used that word of apartheid as it relates to the direction Bibi is going, particularly on the annexation of the West Bank,” Newsom explained during a book tour event Thursday night in Portsmouth. “I’m very angry, with what he is doing and why he’s doing it, what he’s going to ultimately try to do to the Supreme Court there, what he’s trying to do to save his own political career.”
Friedman wrote that at the same time that the U.S. and Israel are prosecuting a war in Iran, within Israel, Netanyahu’s government has undertaken efforts to annex the West Bank, driving Palestinians from their homes; fire the attorney general who is leading the prosecution against Netanyahu for corruption; and block the government’s attempt to establish a commission to examine the failures that led up to the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre of Jews by Hamas.
CBS News has reached out to the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., for comment.
On Iran, Newsom said, “I’m very angry about this war, with all due respect, you know, not because I’m angry the supreme leader is dead. Quite the contrary. I’m not naive about the last 37 years of his reign. Forty-seven years since ’79 — the revolution,” Newsom said. “But I’m also mindful that you have a president who still is inarticulate and incapable of giving us the rationale of why? Why now? What’s the endgame?”
Many attendees at Newsom’s book event said that the situation in Iran is a top-of-mind issue for them, too. Some said they’re “horrified” by what is happening.
29-year-old Alicia Marr told CBS News she decided to attend Newsom’s event because of his social media response to the war with Iran.
“There was one spot left, and I decided to pick it up, and it was due to his response to the war, that it is just unacceptable, and I would agree with that,” Marr said.
While some voters like Marr are eager to hear about where potential candidates stand on foreign policy, many at Newsom’s event said they care most about how potential candidates plan to address domestic issues.
“I’m more focused on getting the middle class back on track and fighting the oligarchy, and I’m less invested in international issues,” said Anita Alden, who also attended Newsom’s event,
“I wouldn’t call myself America first, but we have so many problems at home that are my priority,” she told CBS News.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris, who may also be weighing another White House bid, told Fox 2 Detroit last week that she “unequivocally opposes” the Trump administration’s military action in Iran and urged Congress to take action.
“If we want to stop Donald Trump with this random decision that he has arrived at, then Congress must act, and Congress must act immediately. The American people do not want our sons and daughters to go into this unauthorized war of choice,” Harris said.
Mr. Trump has lashed out against Democrats who have pushed back on his Iran strategy, calling them “losers” last week and arguing that they would criticize any decision he made on Iran.
“If I did it, it’s no good. If I didn’t do it, they would have said the opposite, that you should have done this,” the president said.
Local News
A Massachusetts man was arrested late Wednesday night after police say he was driving more than 100 mph on a New Hampshire roadway.
Officers with the Rindge Police Department stopped a vehicle shortly after 11 p.m. on Route 202 near Sears Drive in Rindge following a report of a car traveling at excessive speed, according to a statement from Chief Rachel Malynowski.
The vehicle, a 2020 Kia Stinger, was spotted traveling at 104 mph in a posted 55 mph zone, Malynowski said.
The driver, a 21-year-old man from Attleboro, was arrested and charged with reckless operation of a motor vehicle, according to police.
He is scheduled to be arraigned April 5. If convicted, the man faces a fine of at least $750, in addition to the court’s penalty assessment, and a 90-day license suspension, Malynowski said.
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