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Peter Petrigno on the Divisive Concepts Law
The video below is Representative Petrigno introducing a bill he sponsored to repeal the Divisive Concepts Law (which limits how teachers can teach about various social issues).
January 2023 Newsletter
The 2022 Campaign and Election in Milford
The Milford Democratic Committee is grateful for the support of so many during the 2022 fall campaign. Hundreds of volunteers, a number from our town, knocked on doors in Milford, advocating for our candidates and delivering their literature. Many Milford residents placed our candidates’ yard signs on their front lawns and some held signs on the Milford Oval during “commuter” times.
Our fundraising events were well attended. Congresswoman Annie Kuster was guest speaker at our ninth Italian Dinner, and we held potluck dinners with candidates Shoshanna Kelly and Dr. Tom Sherman. We had a yard sale in July, and earlier in the summer we hosted a barbecue with the Amherst Democratic Committee. These events helped introduce our state legislative candidates to the public, but they also raised money for their campaigns. Some people made direct contributions to our committee as well, and every dollar went toward the purchase of yard signs, literature, and Facebook ads for our candidates. Our thanks for all contributions of time and money.
The hard work yielded some great results. Maria Perez and Peter Petrigno were reelected as State Representatives from Milford’s Hillsborough District #43. Our floterial district with Amherst, Hillsborough District #37, will be represented by Megan Murray of Amherst, a gain for Democrats. Our State Senate seat flipped back to Democrats and once again it will be filled by Shannon Chandley. These two gains locally are consistent with trends in our state that show Democrats making headway in suburban communities.
The Election Statewide
In the state at large, Democrats won the federal offices, while Republicans kept control of the governor’s office and the state legislature. The election left the Republicans with a 4-1 majority in the Executive Council and a 14-10 majority in the State Senate. There was a recount and appeals process for a number of contested seats in the New Hampshire House, and, in the end, the Republicans kept a 201-198 majority, with one tie race in Rochester still to be decided.
This would have been a different story had redistricting not been in the hands of Republicans. Following the 2020 census, Republican legislators, making up the majority in the legislature, got to gerrymander the voting districts for their own benefit. “It was very clear when Republicans drew the maps for the state Senate and the Executive Council that they were doing it with an eye toward partisan advantage. There was no mistaking it,” said UNH’s political science professor Dante Scala.
New Hampshire voters cast more votes for Democrats in the 2022 election, yet more Republicans were elected. Gerrymandering compromised the democratic process, putting Democrats at a distinct disadvantage for years to come. We have to work hard to overcome that.