At the end of the 2015 and 2016 New Hampshire House sessions, I took note of representatives who had cast pro-life votes on all the bills I chose to track. Here’s a review, featuring only the reps who have a primary election tomorrow, September 13. Alas, no Democrats are on the list – their doing, not mine. (Democrat Roger Berube would probably have made the lists if not for absences.)
Why basically re-post this information? Because reps with primaries who voted extremely well in 2015 or 2016 ought to be noticed. You’ll see that some of these challenged reps made the list in both years.
The usual election season caveats: I have not interviewed or surveyed these candidates. This is just one piece of information for you to take into account as you evaluate your local House candidates. There are many other pro-life representatives, and some may have missed out on the list I’ve compiled here simply because of absences from votes or because they don’t have a primary tomorrow. Check the links below to each year’s votes, for further information about other representatives. If you catch any errors, please let me know.
2016 votes
Selected 2016 votes here – eleven bills included: CACR 22 (right to “privacy”, which has been used in other states to invalidate abortion regulations), HB 1328 (limiting abortions post-20-weeks), HB 1399 (abortion facility licensure), HB 1560 (barring dismemberment abortion), HB 1570 (buffer zone repeal), HB 1623 (barring abortion for genetic abnormalities), HB 1625 (barring abortion after viability), HB 1627 (requiring care for infants surviving attempted abortion), HB 1636 (barring abortions at the point in pregnancy when the preborn child can feel pain), HB 1663 (barring trafficking in fetal remains), HB 1684 (prohibiting the use of public resources to assist in or perform abortions).
The following representatives who have primaries tomorrow cast what in my opinion are pro-life votes on all eleven of the 2016 bills.
- Belknap County: Brian Gallagher, who is running for state senate district 2 against former Rep. Bob Giuda (who has his own pro-life record).
- Carroll County: Frank McCarthy (district 2), Glenn Cordelli (district 4).
- Hillsborough County: Rick Christie (district 6), Linda Gould (district 7), Jeanine Notter (district 21), Eric Eastman & Carl Seidel (district 28), Jordan Ulery (district 37).
- Merrimack County: J.R. Hoell (district 23).
- Rockingham County: William Gannon is running for state senate district 23. Also: James Spillane (district 2), Chris True (district 4), Al Baldasaro (district 5), John Sytek (district 8), Jeffrey Harris (district 9).
2015 votes
Selected 2015 votes – five bills included: HB 194 (personhood), HB 403 (buffer zone repeal), HB 560 (fetal homicide/Griffin’s Law), HB 670 (conscience rights for medical professionals), and HB 677 (limiting public funding to abortion providers.
Voting pro-life on all five, and having a primary tomorrow:
- Carroll County: Frank McCarthy (district 2), Glenn Cordelli (district 4).
- Coos County: Leon Rideout is running in a primary for state senate district 1.
- Hillsborough County: Ralph Boehm of Litchfield is running in a primary for state senate district 18. Also: Linda Gould & Keith Murphy (district 7), Joe Lachance (district 8), Mark McLean (district 15), Josh Moore & Jeanine Notter (district 21), Carl Seidel (district 28).
- Rockingham County: William Gannon is running in the primary for state senate district 23. Also: James Spillane (district 2), Chris True (district 4), Al Baldasaro (district 5), Katherine Prudhomme-O’Brien (district 6), Jeffrey Harris (district 9).
- Strafford County: Robert Knowles (district 12).
If there’s a Republican primary election in your district tomorrow, be sure to participate if you’re a registered Republican. Independent/undeclared voters may pick up a GOP ballot and may re-register as undeclared after voting (before leaving the polling place). Same-day voter registration is available, with proper ID; check with your town clerk or supervisor of the checklist for details.
Watch the blog for a report on primary election results.
Leaven for the Loaf 