East of the Merrimack (Gameplay Thread)

[S019]

September 1-12

September 1-2: Door knocking in Portsmouth

September 3-4: Door knocking in Derry

September 5-6: Door knocking in Manchester

September 7-8: Door knocking in Rochester

September 9-10: Door knocking in Dover

September 11: Attend 9/11 remembrance event in Portsmouth

September 12: Make calls to voters across the district to remind them to vote

Ad to be Released:


"Conservative Values"

[Image: Smith pictured on a New Hampshire farm with his arm resting on a fence with a bright red barn in the background clearly visible at around the 2/3 mark of the frame]

[He speaks]

"Many in Washington love to do things the complicated way, but I want to make things simple."

"There is too much red tape and bureaucracy and we need to clean it up"

[Image cuts to a generic congressional hearing/gaveling a vote that you'd see on CSPAN, image is colorized to a dark tone]

[Smith speaks a voice-over over the scene]

"The politicians in Washington they aren't going to do anything to promote our conservative values."

[A bright circle forms in the center of the hearing as the image of the hearing fades out and the aforementioned farm scene returns and then the circle dissipates]

[while the scene is changing, he speaks]

"There is hope however for a conservative future"

[Scene returns to the New England farm scene that it was at the beginning]

[He speaks as he did in the first section of the ad]

"If you elect me to Congress, I will be a conservative champion for New Hampshire and stand with President Bush. I will lower taxes for everyone, I will save Social Security, which has been forced into insolvency by Democratic politicians, I will decrease regulations on business, so that we can create more jobs, however I can't do any of this without your vote, so please go and vote on September 12. I'm Benjamin Smith and I approve this message.

[Scene cuts to a Smith for Congress logo, generic logo with Smith's name in cursive font and the words "Conservative Champion" written under it, the logo is colored red and blue and it is an aqua colored background]

[end ad]


Ad to air until primary day

[KaiserDave]

Newspaper Endorsements

Laconia Citizen: Kyle Millenberg (D)

The New Hampshire Union Leader: Jabez Parsons (R)

Foster's Daily Democrat: Benjamin Smith (R)

The Portsmouth Herald: Kyle Millenberg (D)

Salmon Press Group: Bill Fiske (D)

[McGovernite]

Annika for Us Campaign Schedule

September 1st - 12th

September 1st - 2nd: Rochester

Town Hall: "Why is being a doctor an important quality to have in a Congressmember?

Thank you for that question, thank you. Now, as I'm sure you all know by now, because I've been talking about it for months, I am a doctor. I have had my practice for over a decade, and I have worked with hundreds of people when it comes to health. Now, we all know what's going on in Washington. People walking around, making backroom deals, while millions of Americans do not have health insurance, and can't even afford to go in for a regular checkup. The fact that this is going on in the United States of America is a shame, and it shows just how important it is that we elect someone that will fight for actual change in Washington. Politicians always talk about "change this" and "change that" but listen, I am not a politician, I am a public servant that actually knows how to fix things because it's been my profession for years now. Thank you for your question.

September 3rd - 6th: Conway

September 3rd - Rally with Senator Hillary Clinton
September 4th - Put up Campaign Signs with Staff
September 5th - Rally with State Senator Brian Wilson
September 6th - Campaign Fundraiser

September 7th - 11th: Manchester

September 7th - Major Rally with Senator Hillary Clinton
September 8th - Campaign Meet and Greet with NH Women's Caucus
September 9th - Campaign Fundraiser
September 10th - Town Hall at Local Coffee Shop
September 11th - Hand out Campaign Flyers with Campaign Staff

September 12th: Dover

September 12th - Major Rally with Senator Hillary Clinton, Go Door to Door with Campaign Staff, Sign Wave near Polling Locations, GOTV Operations, return to Campaign HQ to watch results

Excerpt from Senator Clinton's Speech during the Rally:

Now, we all see what's going on in the White House. George Bush and Dick Cheney are galivanting around the halls of the West Wing while they give tax breaks to their friends at Haliburton, and leave millions of people unemployed and hopeless. Now, I've worked very hard in the Senate to help get legislation passed to actually help people, but I can't do everything alone. I need someone in the House that will fight like hell for the American people, and I think we all know who I'm talking about. Come September 12th, New Hampshire you have to send a message to the people of this country that it is necessary to begin electing public servants that will truly serve their interests. I have known Jennifer for a few years, and I am so happy to say that I truly trust her and believe that she will do some great things. We must stop the Republicans, we must stop George Bush, and we must elect Jennifer Annika to the U.S. House of Representatives for truly meaningful change! Join us, get out and vote today, get your friends to vote, get your family to vote, let's do this New Hampshire!

[Left Wing]

September schedule for Kyle Millenberg

September 1-3: Door Knocking in Manchester

September 4: Rally in Machester

Excerpt from rally:

The people of New Hampshire are tired of politicians who don't tell the truth! We're tired of empty promises from focus group tested candidates. We need real aid for our communities! That can only happen if we listen to the needs of the people. It's what I've done my entire career and I will continue to fight every single day for you in congress!

September 5: Meet with National Rural Letter Carriers Association, thank them for endorsement and pledge full support if elected

September 6-9: Barnstorming in Bedford, Gofstown and Merrimack

September 10th: Call supporters with volunteers to provide voting information

September 11th: Join Laconia Police Department to honor the victims of 9/11 outside of the station

September 12th: Rally with Dick Gephardt, Dennis Kucinich, David Gottesman and Martha Fuller Clark in Laconia

Excerpt from Speech:

We're putting together an all encompassing coalition here in New Hampshire. We've got people all over the political spectrum recognizing it's time to make a change. Our economy is not working for ordinary people, we've got massive income inequality, we have healthcare that no one can afford, we've got jobs being shipped overseas regularly. And what do we get from the leadership in this country? radio silence.

Look folks, I'm a small businessman who was born and raised here in Belknap county. I care deeply about Eastern New Hampshire. That's why it makes my blood boil when I see sleazy career politicians like George Bush ripping off the people of this community. As treasurer, I've always thought about what's best for the people first. I wasn't thinking about donors or interest groups, I was thinking about Belknap. That's the difference you get when compared to the corruption in Washington. Well, I'm ready to head on down there and sort things out. We are going to end George Bush's reign of terror once and for all and we're going to do it together!

[Brother Jonathan]

Jabez Parsons for Congress

For Congress—For You

September 1st-12th

September 1st- Door knocking in Manchester during the day with Mayor Guinta. Rally with Mayor Guinta and Bill Zeliff, focus on principles and fighting for New Hampshire

I'm running for Congress because I believe New Hampshire deserves Representatives as independent-minded as her people, because I want to bring integrity and leadership back to Washington, because I believe it is time that Congress lead again and not just flail around while good ideas and good policy are left out to dry. In Concord, I've been a principled fighter for lower taxes, more efficient government, and our New Hampshire advantage. I will bring this same spirit to Washington, where I will fight first and foremost for the people of New Hampshire's first district.

September 2nd- Door knocking in Portsmouth, a rally that night with Rockingham County Sheriff and Treasurer

You know what our motto is in New Hampshire folks, live free or die. That's the type of attitude I intend to bring to Congress. It's that firey New Hampshire spirit, the same spirit that led the brave patriots of New Hampshire to storm Fort William and Mary to seize the powder and shot that the British went to look for in Lexington and Concord. It was that fire spirit that made New Hampshire the first colony to declare its independence. That's the spirit that makes our state great, and I am determined to bring it back to Congress!

September 3rd- Door knocking in Bedford and Merrimack, a rally that night with State Sen. Carl Johnson and Mayor Guinta

We've got to get our fiscal house in order in this country, and we have to do it while making sure we don't slide backward in the fight against terrorism, or by raising taxes on hardworking Americans. We need to fight to end wasteful pork-barrel spending, end the abuse of earmarks by Congressman just looking to win another term, and we have to make sure our tax system is fair and transparent. That's what I plan on doing in Congress. I will never vote to raise taxes, and I will fight tirelessly to balance our budget.

September 4th- Door knocking in Manchester, rally with Mayor Guinta, W. Douglas Scamman, Gene Chandler, and Bill Zeliff

Senator Gregg and I talk from time to time, and he's always fond of telling me, "Jabez, God love ya, but never run for Congress." Now naturally this got me interested in the idea, being as I am stubborn as an ox, and so I asked him one day, I asked "Senator Gregg, why shouldn't I run for Congress?" "Well," he said, "first, you have a great face for radio, and that would have done just fine when Styles Bridges was running but today," he said "today they televise the whole thing." Well, naturally I decide right then and there to run.

September 5th- Door knocking in Laconia, rally with Gene Chandler and Bill Zeliff that night

We've got to make sure we never forget that there are people in this world who hate us for who we are. I don't mean people who hate us for our ethnicity, I mean people who hate us because we don't hate others for their ethnicity. I don't mean people who hate us for our respective faiths alone, I mean people who hate us because you and I can disagree about God, can disagree about his very existence, and never cast stones at one another. I don't mean people who hate us because we live in the United States, I mean people who hate us because we live in a nation dedicated to freedom, to human flourishing, to democracy. Bin Laden and his ilk hate us, and we have to do everything in our power to show them, and any who might cheer them on, that we are not afraid. We will fight for liberty, defend it at home and abroad, and that you and I, you and your neighbor, that we will all be able to live together, imperfections and differences included, while respecting our shared humanity

September 6th- Door knocking in Conway, a rally that night with Gene Chandler

We need an economic policy that will help the north country and places like Conway and Bartlett thrive in the 21st century. The economy is changing, and that means cleaner fuel, better access to information, the creation of entirely new industries, and thousands of new jobs with them. But we need to make sure that those jobs are open, that those industries set up shop here, and that the American economy remains competitive in this new era.

September 7th- Door knocking in Derry and Londonderry, a rally that night

I've been a town moderator long enough to know that in New Hampshire, we don't like taxes. I wish you could say the same thing about Washington. No sooner have we started getting tax rates down, the code simplified, and already you hear talk all over the country about raising them again. I promise to you I will fight against tax increases in Congress and will work without ceasing to simplify and streamline our tax code.

September 8th- Door knocking in Durham, Rochester, and Dover. Rally in Dover

I will level with you: if you want a party-line voter, I'm not your guy. If you want someone who will show up, clock in, and go through the Congressional revolving door, I'm not your guy. If you want someone who won't ask questions, won't raise a fuss, then I'm not your guy. And I never have been. The reason my party leadership have endorsed me is simple, and they'll tell you: I fight for my constituents, I fight for my principles, and I get the job done. I know what legislating takes, it takes leadership, it takes principle, and it means working hard for the people who elected you. So if you want another empty suit voting aye or nay at his party beck and call, never thinking for themselves at all, then I'm not your guy and I never will be. But if you want a Representative, if you want someone who will fight for you, fight to get stuff done in Washington, then I'm your guy and I want your vote.

September 9th- Door knocking in Hampton, rally that night

Hampton, I have a good feeling. I think people are ready to change Washington, to have a strong voice, and to have that New Hampshire attitude represented. This state has always been by home, my family has lived here for generations, and I am proud as can be to stand before you today as a Granite stater. Let's show Washington what the Granite state is made of!

September 10th- Door knocking in Manchester, "Last Town Hall" and rally with Senators Lugar and Warner, Mayor Guinta, and Bill Zeliff

I know they billed this as the "last" town hall, but I hope that isn't the case, because if we win this primary folks, we will hit every town in the district, again! We did it once already, and I am proud to say I will visit every town in this district again, and I will do it every year as your Representative. That's what being in Congress is about, tackling the big challenges, working for your constituents, and dealing with the biggest problems and the smallest. That's why I am running. Now, let's get to it and have some questions!

September 11th- Attend memorial service in Chester, no campaign activities

September 12th- Rally in Manchester with Senators Lugar and Warner, Mayor Guinta, Speaker Scamman, Gene Chandler, and Bill Zeliff

I am running to represent you, to fight for you, to listen and to lead. We hear a lot a talk in Washington, really we hear a lot of talk in politics in general, but I have the record to back it up. Back home in Chester, in Concord, in position at every level in this great state, I have fought and won important battles. I have helped preserve our New Hampshire advantage, I've helped keep school costs and taxes down at both the state and local level, while still working to give New Hampshire one of the best education systems in the country. Ladies and gentlemen, you may hear a lot of talk on the campaign trail, but it's time now for leadership, for principled leadership, and that's why I am running.

It's time we had members in Congress who will stand up to earmarks and wasteful pork-barrel spending, to no-bid contracts that only help special interests, to a tax code that is making our nation less competitive and our taxes too complicated. Congress needs to lead again, it needs to legislate again, and right now it is too bogged down. We don't need more empty suits, what we need now is real, principled leadership that is dedicated not to rhetoric, but results.

Senator Warner and Senator Lugar are examples of leadership in Congress, second to none. I am proud to have their support. Stand up, please!

These men aren't afraid to lead, to fight to get stuff done, to pass meaningful legislation that goes a long way to making our nation a better place to live, legislation that is helping to build our nation up and make it competitive in the 21st century. I am proud to have their support and hope to be able to work with them and many others, from both the House and the Senate, to pass meaningful legislation to help the people of New Hampshire's 1st District. 

Look, I've been around long enough to know that people are sick of talk, or to put it more truthfully they are sick of empty talk, of politicians who are all bark and no bite. Well I have been called many things by the party leaders on stage here tonight, but they will be the first to tell you I don't back down from a fight or give up on a good idea. And that's what we need in Congress. I pledge to you, as I have throughout this campaign, that I will fight for a simpler tax code, a more efficient military, and a more transparent government...

Now let's get out there and win this thing!

[Kuumo]

Lauren Winters for Congress
September 1st, 2006 - September 12th, 2006

September 1st: Town hall and voter registration drive at UNH, barnstorm Durham.
September 2nd-3rd: Barnstorm Rochester.
September 4th: Meet with leadership of Teamsters 633 TCWH Local, IBEW 2320, and Professional Firefighters of New Hampshire in Manchester, thank them for endorsements and share contact information of member supporters to assist with get out the vote efforts.

I am proud to accept your support on this day commemorating the accomplishments of the American labor movement! Generations of hard work from people like you made our country great. Unfortunately, our current representatives in Congress have favored multinational corporations over their own state's workers through one-sided trade deals and reckless deregulation. Under my watch, your concerns won't go ignored in Washington any longer. If elected, I promise to fight for the safety and security of the working men and women of New Hampshire.

September 5th: Town hall and voter registration drive at SNHU, barnstorm Manchester.
September 6th: Barnstorm Manchester.
September 7th-8th: Barnstorm Dover.
September 9th: Rally in Portsmouth with State Senators Iris Estabrook and Maggie Hassan.

Are we angry about the rampant corruption, overseas outsourcing, meddling with Social Security, and never-ending wars? You bet we are. We're going to send a message to George W. Bush and his lobbyist friends in Washington! As President Truman would have said, the buck stops here. Remember to vote on Tuesday, everyone!

September 10th: Barnstorm Portsmouth.
September 11th: Attend 9/11 memorial ceremony in Durham hosted by new town council.
September 12th: Rally in Manchester with Senator Russ Feingold and Representative Bernie Sanders.

Senator Feingold and Congressman Sanders are here with me today because we share a vision. A vision of a nation where affordable, quality healthcare is available to everyone. A vision of a nation where we can live free without fear of government surveillance. A vision of a nation where our wild places are valued and preserved for future generations. And most of all, we want a nation that fully lives up to the ideal of "government of the people, by the people," and "for the people." That's why we're counting on you to make a difference by going out and voting in full force! I'm feeling good about our chances today! Thank you, and may God bless America!

[S019]

Surrogates

The following individuals shall travel across the district giving speeches in favor of Smith, while the candidate himself focuses on turning voters out:


Tom DeLay
Newt Gingrich
Raymond Wieczorek
Bob Smith
Trent Lott

(This is an addendum/modification to my schedule) In addition, on the night of the 10th, Smith will drive back to Portsmouth, and will hold a massive rally with all five individuals speaking.

(There are no further deviations from the schedule)

[Kuumo]

Lauren Winters for Congress
Surrogate Schedules

Iris Estabrook

September 1st: Rally in Portsmouth.
September 2nd-3rd: Barnstorm Portsmouth, Rye, and Dover.
September 8th: Rally in Rochester.
September 9th: Rally in Portsmouth with Lauren Winters and Maggie Hassan.
September 10th: Barnstorm Newington, Greenland, Newmarket, and Durham.
September 12th: Rally in Dover.


Russ Feingold

September 8th: Rally in Manchester.
September 9th: Rallies in Durham and Dover.
September 10th: Rally in Portsmouth.
September 12th: Rally in Manchester with Lauren Winters and Bernie Sanders.


Maggie Hassan

September 1st: Rally in Exeter.
September 2nd-3rd: Barnstorm Exeter, Stratham, Hampton, Seabrook and Kensington.
September 8th: Rally in Derry.
September 9th: Rally in Portsmouth with Lauren Winters and Iris Estabrook.
September 10th: Barnstorm Dover.
September 12th: Rally in Exeter.


Bernie Sanders

September 8th-10th: Recorded robocalls go out to numbers of Winters supporters in Dover, Durham, Manchester, and Portsmouth.
September 12th: Rally in Manchester with Lauren Winters and Russ Feingold.



Campaign volunteers barnstorm all over the district for the two-week period, particularly in the Conway, Deerfield, Derry, Dover, Durham, Manchester, Laconia, Londonderry, Portsmouth, Rochester, Seabrook, and Wolfeboro areas.

Rented campaign buses transport supporters without cars to the polls in Dover, Manchester, Portsmouth, and Rochester on Election Day.

[Left Wing]

Surrogates

Throughout the week senators Gottesman and Fuller Clark knocked on doors in their districts for Kyle Millenberg. In addition to continuing to fundraise for Millenberg, former Minority Leader Gephardt sent out robocalls to voters in the district. Congressman Kucinich stumped for Millenberg along with volunteers at several major colleges in the district. Millenberg also coordinated with the unions supporting the candidate to provide campaign literature to union members with information on where and how to vote.

[Alcibiades]

Bill Fiske - Democrat for Congress
A voice for your community in Washington
1-12 September 2006 Schedule

1 September: Final voter registration and persuasion drive at UNH as the new academic year starts
2 September: Accept endorsement from the League of Conservation Voters:

Some people try to draw the false dichotomy of, well, it’s a choice between either saving our planet or growing our economy. The truth is that the latter, in the long-term, is dependent on the former. If I’m elected, I’ll not only fight to protect more land, conserve wildlife, reduce carbon emissions and clean up our oceans, but I’ll lead the way in showing the enormous job creation potential in the burgeoning green energy sector, and by ensuring that our natural landscapes remain fit for tourism.

3 September: Canvass in Portsmouth
4 September: Attend Labor Day parade, followed by rally in Dover
5 September: Canvass in Northern Carroll County
6 September: Final Town Hall in Laconia
7 September: Canvass in Exeter and meet with small businesspeople
8 September: Rally in Manchester:

It’s past time that we, as a country, had a reckoning as to why our politicians want to hold office. The recent scandals in Washington suggest to me that too many are in it for pure personal profit, and possess none of the qualities required of legislators. We need to transform the casual culture of lobbying and corporate influence which pervades Washington. When it comes to healthcare, I’ll fight for affordable care for all, and I won’t take my orders from the insurance lobby. On the environment, I’ll fight to leave a planet fit for our kids, not bend the knee to big oil. My only boss will be you, the people of New Hampshire’s First District.

9 September: Address group of public school teachers and canvass in Rochester
10 September: Canvass in Manchester
11 September: Attend 9/11 memorial service in Schouler Park, North Conway
12 September: Rally with Steve Marchand and Warren Rudman in Portsmouth:

I’m honoured to share a stage today with two fine public servants, both fine sons of New Hampshire, not out-of-state big partisan players. It just so happens that one of them happens to be a Democrat, and one a Republican. The damage that President Bush and his hard-right cabal are wreaking on this country, from a disastrous, deceitful war to hurting our middle class and seniors, transcends partisanship. Red state, blue state, big town, small town, we all desperately need to change course.

That’s easier said than done, though. My experience in local government means I know how to get things done. I’ll try my utmost to be at the forefront of imaginative, common-sense progressive solutions on healthcare, education, infrastructure, small businesses and the environment in Congress, and to turn over a new leaf on the culture of rife corruption and greed in Washington. Vote Bill Fiske for honesty, integrity, competence and policy which will help ordinary families up and down our wonderful district.

Campaign staff and volunteers ring voters and knock on doors to make sure that those whom the campaign believes to be considering voting for us actually turn out.
Return to Conway for election night party at the North Conway Grand Hotel.

[Orwell]

David O'Connor for Congress

Campaign Schedule

Candidate Schedule

General Overview

With less than 2 weeks until the primary, O'Connor will reach into the campaign and his personal coffers. He will issue major media buys for the New Hampshire media market from Boston. These ads will focus on popular issues among the Democratic primary electorate and paint O'Connor as the candidate best prepared to win in November and to vote against President Bush's agenda. The ads will also advocate for the expansion of healthcare to more New Hampshireites, there will also be an appeal to Independents who disapprove of President Bush as the best candidate who will be able to repudiate his policies. There will be a push for an 11th-hour endorsement from Former Governor Jeanne Shaheen, and her husband Bill Shaheen will appear in campaign mailers, along with Senators Kerry, Dodd, and Kennedy. While there is a significant push among organized labor to get into contact with as many voters as possible before election day, there will door to door efforts in the more urban areas of Derry and Manchester by SEIU Local 1984, and the State Employees Association of New Hampshire. There will be efforts by other portions of Organized Labor to contact their members and to get voters to the polls in an effort to bring the election to O'Connor's side.

September 1

O'Connor plans for 3 events a day for the remainder of the campaign he begins with a meet and greets at a Retirement Center, where he reiterates the support of his campaign, then over lunch, he meets with various members of his campaign team to discuss the get out the vote strategy and phone banking potential for their organization. Following Lunch, O'Connor holds a rally with Former State Senator Lou D'Alessandro, Former Rep. Norman D'Amours, and other prominent endorsers of the campaign. At a nighttime rally he will appear with Senator Dodd and Senator Kerry in a large rally for supporters in Dover, during the night he will travel to Manchester where he will prepare for a huge rally with Kerry and Kennedy in the morning.

September 2

O'Connor will appear in Manchester where he will speak to a crowd in the Manchester Central High School gymnasium, before holding a town hall in the afternoon with citizens of Manchester and Former Manchester Mayor Robert A. Baines. In the evening he will hold the most expansive rally of his campaign, with Senators Kennedy and Kerry along with D'Amours, D'Allesandro, and Baines he will work to bring out as many supporters as he can especially among the working class as he attempts to target the electorate his opponents do as well.

September 3

O'Connor intends to appear the University of New Hampshire to appeal to the anti-war crowd of students as he points towards his opposition to the Iraq war from the beginning and his concern for the environment. Along with his plan to enact student debt reform and support the growing technology jobs in New Hampshire. He will also hold a night rally with Union leaders, specifically those state employees where he will meet with the University Staff and convince them to support his campaign.

September 4

He will begin the day barnstorming in Rochester. Before speaking to people in a more rural area at a local Walmart Super Center, where he will be accompinied with local leaders who are supporters of the campaign and Senator John Kerry. Later in the day he will rally in Durham and Derry where he will appear with Senators Kerry, Dodd, and Kennedy.

September 5

He will begin the day with door knocking in Portsmouth, before holding an afternoon rally with Union Leadership and Senator Kerry on the docks of Portsmouth attempting to get the support of blue collar workers in the area with his opposition to CAFTA, his support from many local union leaders and his proposal raising the minimum to a higher point by 2010. In the evening he will continue with a large rally in Portsmouth with his top surrogates this is where he will officially announce the endorsement of Senator Kennedy.

September 6

Meet with Former Governor Jeanne Shaheen and attempt to get an endorsement in the 11th hour to secure the support of key demographics in New Hampshire's 1st. Speak at a church in Manchester to convince members of the congregation to turnout during the primary in a weeks time. He will then meet with prominent members of the city and attempt to gain their support during the waning days of the campaign.

September 7

Rally in Dover with Kennedy and Kerry

September 8

Rally in Manchester with Mayor Baines and Norman D'Amours

September 9

September 10

GOTV begins with Union leaders in Dover, Manchester, Portsmouth, and other major points across the district

September 12

Last major rally with major endorsers.

[KaiserDave]

Primary Night

[1]

Tom Griffith: Hello, good evening, and welcome back to WMUR New Hampshire. It's primary night in New Hampshire as voters go the polls to conclude what has been a riveting primary season. Really riveting hasn't it Jennifer?

Jennifer Vaughn: So true Tom, these last few months have been really exciting. There has been a blitz of advertisement, and we've had an army of national politicians come down to the state to promote their vision for America here in the Granite State, including several 2008 presidential hopefuls like Senators Russ Feingold and Hillary Clinton and Congressman Dennis Kucinich. The polls show a very close race, anybody could win.

(Cuts to clips of candidates Bill Fiske, David O'Connor, Tyler Medford, and Benjamin Smith campaigning)

Tom Griffith: This last week in particular it got really intense, with protests organized in Manchester against the appearance of conservative Mississippi Senator Trent Lott.

(Cuts to clips of protests against Lott, with several protesters carrying signs for Lauren Winters and Jennifer Annika)

Jennifer Vaughn: And today we're seeing long lines at the polls, we've got Erin Fehlau and Sean McDonald at polling sites in Manchester and Dover respectively, and we've got Ray Brewer at Jabez Parson's primary night headquarters, John DiStaso at Kyle Millenberg's in Laconia, and several other of WMUR's best and brightest at events for each candidate across the state.

(camera cuts to video of all of them)

Tom Griffith: We'll be sure to get you on the ground updates from all of them. And now voters are going to the polls. And polls close in a about an hour. So, soon we'll be getting some numbers on where this stands. I'm very excited to see what happens. Jennifer?

Jennifer Vaughn: For sure Tom, stick with us folks as we get exit polls and soon, the first numbers on what New Hampshire is thinking.

Welcome to the primary election night of East of the Merrimack. Starting today and going into tomorrow I will post the results of the primary in a dramatic election night fashion. You are free to post the activities of your candidates as results come in for flavor purposes, but the results at this point, are baked in. Whatever happens, you all did stupendously, and I wish you could all win! The primary season has been fun, and I look forward to the general election turn with our two yet to be revealed primary winners. Enjoy!


[1] Wikimedia Commons, media logo used under Fair Use

[KaiserDave]

Primary Night

[1]

Tom Griffith: And we're back, and with the clock striking 7, the polls have closed. Note that if you're on line now, stay on line, and we're hearing that the lines are indeed quite long. So, now that it's 7 on the east coast we can expect results, but first we're going to present our exit polls, brought to us right now by our political director Josh McElveen.

Josh McElveen: Thanks Tom, before we get our first actual votes, we have our exit polls, which could give us a hint of where the race is at. These exit polls are something we are proud of, but they aren't perfect and we urge caution when our viewers see them, they aren't to be read into too much.

Tom Griffith: Do the candidates have this data?

Josh McElveen: Well they probably have their own data, but this information is going to be revealed to them as soon as it is revealed to our viewers.

Tom Griffith: Alright, what are the numbers?

Josh McElveen: Here they are, on the screen now.

WMUR Exit Poll
What issue do you believe is most important? (Democrats)
Corruption/Ethics: 22%
War In Iraq: 19%
Economy: 15%
Healthcare: 14%
Education: 10%
Price of Gas: 9%
Terrorism: 8%
Immigration: 6%


What issue do you believe is most important? (Republicans)

War In Iraq: 21%
Terrorism: 19%
Price of Gas: 16%
Economy: 15%
Immigration: 9%
Corruption/Ethics: 7%
Education: 7%
Healthcare: 6%

What is your ideology (Democrats)?
Liberal: 38%
Moderate: 46%
Conservative: 16%

What is your ideology (Republicans)?
Conservative: 54%
Moderate: 35%
Liberal: 11%

Do you approve of President Bush? (Democrats)
Disapprove: 90%
Approve: 6%
Undecided: 4%

Do you approve of President Bush? (Republicans)
Approve: 91%
Disapprove 7%
Undecided: 2%

How much does your union's endorsement matter when you vote? (Democrats)
Not a Union Household: 54%
A lot: 23%
A decent amount: 13%
Very Little: 8%
Not at All: 2%

What is more important to you? (Republicans)
Being an Independent Voice for New Hampshire: 64%
Standing with President Bush: 36%

What is more important to you? (Democrats)
Values of a Candidate: 76%
Winning a General Election: 23%

Jennifer Vaughn: Very interesting stuff Josh, I'm particularly intrigued by those numbers on standing with President Bush, versus being an independent voice. As we can see, Republican voters saying being an independent voice for New Hampshire is far more important than standing with President Bush. Perhaps that's bad news for conservative Ben Smith?

Josh McElveen: If he was in a one on one with the more centre-right Jabez Parsons, perhaps, but you've got to remember we've got four Republicans running, and of course New Hampshire has a rich tradition of write in candidates.

Tom Griffith: Well (looks behind him) do we have any numbers yet? No? Alright well we can look at these, and it says a good deal. Including that about a third of Democratic electorate values union endorsements. Unions endorsed many candidates but the biggest ones got behind David O'Connor, so maybe he can turn that into a win tonight. Or perhaps Lauren Winters, Bill Fiske, and Kyle Millenberg who each got labor endorsements themselves can make something happen. Bill Fiske in particular got that Teacher's Union endorsement, a very big win.

Jennifer Vaughn: And I think now at 7:19 we've got our first numbers from Hillsborough county, from Manchester township, it's limited but we've got some stuff. Let's show you what we've got.

David O'Connor: 25%-108  
Jennifer Annika: 22%-95
Lauren Winters: 21%-91
Bill Fiske: 20%-86
Kyle Millenberg: 12%-52

Tyler Medford: 35%-160
Jabez Parsons: 25%-114
Benjamin Smith: 23%-105
Francis McGuinty: 16%-73

Tom Griffith: And here we go!


If you have any questions in or out of game, don't hesitate to message me.


[1] Wikimedia Commons, media logo used under Fair Use

[KaiserDave]

Primary Night

[1]

Tom Griffith: Alright welcome back to WMUR New Hampshire, votes are starting to trickle in, the ticker below will update as new totals come in. We're going to get to our team on the ground, first, a few projections.

(graphics appear showing the projections as Tom reads them off)

Tom Griffith: John Lynch will be renominated by the Democratic Party, not a surprise. He'll be facing State Representative Jim Coburn. Democrats are feeling very confident about holding the State House, Governor Lynch remains popular, even in the Republican Party. In the second district, Representative Bass dispatches two conservative challengers, he'll be facing attorney Paul Hodes, who has won the democratic nomination. Now back to the very competitive race here in the first district. Let's check in on John DiStaso, who is in Laconia, where Kyle Millenberg is headquartered. John, these early numbers from Manchester look pretty bad for Millenberg, placing him dead last. How's the feeling in Laconia?

(cuts to John DiStaso at an outdoor rally, with several Millenberg signs seen)

John DiStaso: They're not at all worried Tom. There's not even a thousand votes from Manchester, and they're not worried. They feel that when the more rural towns start reporting, Nottingham, Strafford, Northwood, they'll start doing better, specifically when Belknap County reports, they thing it'll vault him into the top tier.

Tom Griffith: Aren't they worried that bad performances in cities might be a problem for them?

John DiStaso: They think they have good numbers with young voters in the cities, they're very encouraged by the newspaper endorsement from Portsmouth, they're optimistic, this place is still buzzing.

Tom Griffith: Very well, I hear we're getting new numbers from outside of Manchester, so we'll go to that, thank you John. So, what are we getting Josh?

Josh McElveen: Alright we have new numbers from the seacoast. Hampton, Rye, Seabrook, and Portsmouth. As well as new Manchester numbers, so what we're seeing is very good numbers in the Republican primary for Jabez Parsons. This is Rockingham county, he's from the county, not from the coast but he should be strong here. That said, Benjamin Smith is from Portsmouth so he should have an advantage here. Right now the numbers aren't so great, he's losing in a lot of these places, barely ahead in Portsmouth, but these numbers are limited, in Portsmouth we don't even have half the vote in. But that's not even with worst news for him, remember our exit poll, we asked voters what they're prioritizing. Among the 7% of the Republicans prioritizing ethics and corruption, Benjamin Smith is below 10% with those voters.

Jennifer Vaughn: Is there any good news for Benjamin Smith?

Josh McElveen: Well these numbers are limited, and we haven't got any numbers from Carroll County, with those Lake Winnipesaukee mansions where he is expected to perform well. So he is still in a position to win, it's just that these initial results may come from places where he is not very strong.

Tom Griffith: I see we are getting results from the sliver of the district in Merrimack county as well now, but tell us about the Democratic primary Josh.

Josh McElveen: In short, good news for Bill Fiske. He was endorsed by the Mayor of Portsmouth, he spent a lot of time in this area. He appealed very strongly to white collar professionals and middle class voters. It looks like he's reaping some fruit here. He's winning Portsmouth as our count stands, and I see we're getting results from inland Rockingham county as well, Brentwood, Exeter, Chester, Epping, and a few other spots. Fiske performing well there, but you see Lauren Winters is performing well here too. Some bad news for Jennifer Annika and Kyle Millenberg, they're not exactly excelling, but our numbers are still limited.

Jennifer Vaughn: Alright, where does the race stand now?

Tom Griffith: Here are the figures. And that Medford lead has been whittled down, and O'Connor's too. Things are really moving.

David O'Connor: 22%-1,091
Bill Fiske: 21%-1,052
Jennifer Annika: 21%-1,045
Lauren Winters: 21%-1,036
Kyle Millenberg: 15%-757

Tyler Medford: 29%-1,251
Jabez Parsons: 29%-1,239
Benjamin Smith: 26%-1,134
Francis McGuinty: 15%-669

Tom Griffith: More results soon, and talking with more of reporters on the ground after the break.


If you have any questions in or out of game, don't hesitate to message me.


[1] Wikimedia Commons, media logo used under Fair Use

[KaiserDave]

Primary Night

[1]

Tom Griffith: Welcome back to WMUR New Hampshire, it is 8 on the east coast and results are starting to pour in by the thousands. Both primary races are too close to call according to the WMUR decision desk. But that won't stop us from speculating.

Jennifer Vaughn: I'm noticing Jennifer Annika who got a big endorsement from Hillary Clinton near the end of the campaign, which propelled her campaigning which had been doing mediocre in polling into the thick of it, right now she's in second place. Watch out for Dr. Annika I say.

Tom Griffith: If they've got WMUR at Annika HQ they'll certainly like the sound of that. But I want to ask Josh, where are the results coming from now?

Josh McElveen: Well now it's all over. We've got votes from Strafford, Carroll counties, more votes from Merrimack, Hillsborough, and Rockingham. Really everywhere but Belknap, where we're hearing there's been an issue with ballot counting, but we think we'll get numbers from there soon.

Tom Griffith: What do these numbers look like?

Josh McElveen: I'm looking at southern Strafford county and inland Rockingham, where a Mayor Lauren Winters is performing very well. She's the Mayor of Durham, and she's received 61% in that township. Very impressive total, in Brentwood she's ahead and in Newfields and Newmarket she's ahead. If she can run up the numbers here in southeastern New Hampshire, she may yet win it. We're expecting approximately 700 votes from Dover proper, and that will be very important to see how that splits, Annika and Winters have both made a big play there. I'm also watching Carroll County, specifically Conway where Bill Fiske is from. We have a small amount of results from Conway, where we're expecting about 100 votes, and Fiske is doing quite well. If he can run up the totals in this county he can win.

Tom Griffith: What's the situation for Kyle Millenberg, who seems to be lagging behind?

Josh McElveen: Well his numbers are improving as we get more data from rural areas. We can see in Pittsfield and Northwood he's performing a lot better than on the seacoast and adjacent areas. Two other reasons why he's still in this are, that is numbers in Manchester are improving, and that among self identified conservative Democrats, he's actually mating David O'Connor, a bit of surprise from the candidate who came in for impeaching the President. David O'Connor by the way has expanded his lead a bit as more blue collar areas of Rockingham come in, and he has chipped away at Fiske's lead in the area.

Jennifer Vaughn: In the Republican primary I see Jabez Parsons has taken the lead.

Josh McElveen: Yes that must be the full results from Chester, where Parsons crosses 60%, if only barely. But yes, Parsons doing pretty good in Rockingham in general, he's behind in Portsmouth proper, but he's winning in a lot of areas around Portsmouth. As for Tyler Medford he's got some strength in rural areas, I think that endorsement from the National Rifle Association and New Hampshire Firearms Coalition is keeping him competitive, as we can see in places like Northwood, where he is actually winning. Medford certainly has a....unique coalition.

Tom Griffith: Well we're looking at these results now, it seems like O'Connor is ahead by more, Annika it seems has fallen a bit, she'll certainly want to see those votes from Dover come in, and Millenberg is waiting on Belknap.

David O'Connor: 24%-3,284
Bill Fiske: 21%-2,932
Lauren Winters: 21%-2,912
Jennifer Annika: 19%-2,654
Kyle Millenberg: 15%-2,065

Jabez Parsons: 30%-3,972
Tyler Medford: 28%-3,722
Benjamin Smith: 27%-3,591
Francis McGuinty: 14%-1,891

34% of Precincts Reporting

Tom Griffith: More results soon, and talking with more of reporters on the ground after the break.



If you have any questions in or out of game, don't hesitate to message me.


[1] Wikimedia Commons, media logo used under Fair Use

[KaiserDave]

Primary Night

[1]

Tom Griffith: Welcome back to our riveting primary night results at the WMUR studio here in Manchester. And it's right here in Manchester where we've gotten more results, and we're almost at half of all polls reporting.

Jennifer Vaughn: The Republican race continues to be close, but it's somewhat static, the Democratic race on the other hand is so close the order keeps changing. And in a big way just now, as Belknap county just released half its vote.

Tom Griffith: Josh, what does this look like?

Josh McElveen: In a word? Big. Very big. Kyle Millenberg is running at 54% of the vote in Belknap County, which is far more than anybody is getting in any county. This has propelled from the bottom to near the top. He's also improving as more rural towns report, like Farmington and New Durham. Those early results were really bad for Millenberg, but these new results look like he's getting what he needs to maybe take this thing. Running in second is Winters, but with Fiske biting on her heels, and O'Connor on his.

Tom Griffith: What about the Republicans?

Josh McElveen: This county right now is fourth place finisher Francis McGuinty's best, but he's running behind...wow, Tyler Medford. This is surprising, the Manchester State Senator is actually winning Belknap County. He's just ahead of McGuinty and Smith, with Parsons last. I think the campaigns will be shocked by this. This must be those NRA mailers that went out a few days ago, and perhaps more, because Medford is doing a great job right here in Belknap.

Tom Griffith: And what else has reported.

Josh McElveen: More from Manchester, Carroll, and Stafford. And those results have been very good for Bill Fiske and Lauren Winters. Fiske is hitting his targets in Carroll County, and in Conway, and Winters is performing well in the Dover outskirts, even if there's something to be desired from Dover itself, where Annika is now winning.

Jennifer Vaughn: Now, each candidate with the Democrats, what are they looking for?

Josh McElveen: O'Connor is waiting on Rockingham. It looks like Manchester won't have the votes to put him over the top, and his performance in Belknap and Carroll won't do it, so he'll be watching Rockingham's remaining vote to lock this up. Winters will keep watching Dover, and what's left in Rockingham, that will be really crucial. Millenberg wants to keep watching these rural towns, he's winning most of em, and it looks like he'll win every one in Belknap. If he can win them all by a lot, he could win. He just wants to keep his numbers good everywhere else. Fiske needs to keep running up his numbers in Carroll, and improve in the seacoast, then he can win. Annika needs to run it up in Dover, and the remaining vote everywhere else, it's certainly achievable for anyone to take it.

Tom Griffith: Okay we're going to Sean McDonald, who just arrived at Benjamin Smith's primary night event. What's the attitude like there?

(camera cuts to Sean McDonald)

Sean McDonald: It's getting a bit tense, there was a massive feeling of disappointment when Belknap reported. They were getting really excited for a surge of votes to put them over the top, and it never materialized. Now they're watching Carroll and what remains from the seacoast to put Smith over the top, it can happen, he'll just need to hit his targets.

Tom Griffith: How much is left from Carroll and the seacoast?

Sean McDonald: Enough, but Smith will need to win about a third of what's out in those areas.

Tom Griffith: Well, we'll see if he does it. Now to a break, but here are the results as they stand.

David O'Connor: 21%-4,057
Kyle Millenberg: 20%-3,845
Bill Fiske: 20%-3,821
Lauren Winters: 20%-3,807
Jennifer Annika: 19%-3,713

Jabez Parsons: 29%-5,618
Tyler Medford: 27%-5,201
Benjamin Smith: 27%-5,185
Francis McGuinty: 16%-3,090

57% of Precincts Reporting

Tom Griffith: More results soon, and talking with more of reporters on the ground after the break.



If you have any questions in or out of game, don't hesitate to message me.


[1] Wikimedia Commons, media logo used under Fair Use

[KaiserDave]

Primary Night

[1]

Tom Griffith: Welcome back to our continuing coverage of the New Hampshire midterm primaries, it's approaching 9 in the east and these results are not yet concluded, though we're getting there. A very close race in both primaries.

Jennifer Vaughn: Indeed, both races are razor thin, especially the Democratic one which keeps bouncing back and forth.

Tom Griffith: I understand we have new votes and more bouncing?

Josh McElveen: Yes we do, the remaining vote from Manchester and Dover, as well as more from Belknap. And Jennifer Annika has benefitted greatly, vaulting herself back into contention. She got pretty good numbers from Dover and what was left in Manchester, is it enough? We'll see, the race is close enough that we don't know. For the Republicans, the newest Belknap numbers were much better for Benjamin Smith than the last numbers, and he's now in second in the county, right behind Tyler Medford. He is within single digits, in terms of raw vote, of the Manchester State Senator.

Tom Griffith: So, what's left, and who needs it?

Josh McElveen: We've got the remaining vote in Rockingham County, Carroll County, and a small amount in Strafford and Belknap. And for the Democrats it's simply anybody's game. For the Republicans, advantage Parsons, but if Smith or Medford get lucky, who knows they could take it.

Jennifer Vaughn: Now, is there any hint you can give us on how the Democratic primary will end up?

Josh McElveen: I know as much as you know, but I'm looking at what's left. Exeter, Greenland, Stratham, Nottingham, Raymond, Tuftonboro, Bartlett, Gilmanton, a precinct is out in Portsmouth. Let's see what kind of splits we get.

Tom Griffith: Wow, this is certainly one to remember, we'll now go live to Ray Brewer, at Jabez Parson's headquarters. Ray?

(camera cuts to Ray Brewer)

Ray Brewer: Hi Tom.

Tom Griffith: So Tom, do you think we'll hear anything from Parsons tonight?

Ray Brewer: Quite likely Tom, the latest results from Dover and Manchester were very good for Parsons to the excitement here is starting to grow. On the other hand, Benjamin Smith is clawing back with these latest returns from Belknap, so there remains a palpable sense of anxiety as well.

Tom Griffith: What have you heard from the Parsons team?

Ray Brewer: Cautious optimism Tom, but they think they'll know if they've won within a half hour.

Tom Griffith: Thank you Ray, we're going to go to break, but before we go, here are the numbers as they stand right now.

David O'Connor: 21%-5,351
Kyle Millenberg: 20%-5,299
Jennifer Annika: 20%-5,247
Lauren Winters: 20%-5,211
Bill Fiske: 19%-5,056

Jabez Parsons: 29%-7,325
Benjamin Smith: 27%-6,850
Tyler Medford: 27%-6,841
Francis McGuinty: 15%-3,825

74% of Precincts Reporting

Tom Griffith: More results soon, and talking with more of reporters on the ground after the break.



If you have any questions in or out of game, don't hesitate to message me.


[1] Wikimedia Commons, media logo used under Fair Use

[KaiserDave]

Primary Night

[1]

Tom Griffith: We'r back with our continuing coverage of the primary in New Hampshire's second district, a race that remains very close, but it's past 9 now in the east and we're expecting winners very, very soon.

Jennifer Vaughn: Both races remain very close, especially the Democratic one, with the fifth and first place candidate only separated by a few hundred votes. We think there's about 5 thousand votes out, so that difference can be closed.

Tom Griffith: But you've got to get those percentages in the key townships. One remembers the New Hampshire primaries. Bill Clinton was closing the gap with Paul Tsongas, but you could see Clinton wasn't getting the percentage results he needed to actually win, so networks felt pretty good about calling the race. So Josh, we're getting new results from Rockingham County, and from Belknap and Carroll, is Benjamin Smith still in this thing? Is Tyler Medford?

Josh McElveen: It looks like it's getting much harder for them to win. We just got a lot of fully reported areas. Exeter is all in, South Hampton is all in, Stratham is all in. In Belknap, Barnstead and Belmont are all in. In Carroll, Jackson, Tuftonboro are all in. Smith improved his totals, especially when the remaining precinct in Portsmouth dropped. But he needed to win about 34% of that, and he only got 31% of that total. It becomes hard to win at that point. Tyler Medford looked like he could stage an upset early on, but he's not doing well enough in Rockingham to make that happen.

Tom Griffith: And for the Democrats?

Josh McElveen: The big beneficiaries of the latest results were Lauren Winters and Bill Fiske. It doesn't look like David O'Connor had enough in Manchester, nor Jennifer Annika enough in Dover to win it. They could still win if they get enough from the numbers still out, but, it's hard. Belknap is almost all out, so where is the remaining vote. Well it's really sprinkled everywhere. A few thousand votes are still out generally across the district, fairly evenly distributed. Anybody can win.

Jennifer Vaughn: Well, we're excited to see how takes the democratic nomination, but I think we have a projection for the Republican one.


Tom Griffith: Indeed we do. WMUR can project that State legislator and Chester Town Moderator Jabez Parsons has won the Republican nomination for New Hampshire's first district. Powered by a strong performance in Rockingham and Strafford counties, he will take the day.

(Jabez Parsons projection graphic appears)



Tom Griffith: We'll have reaction and more analysis after the break. But we know at least one of our winners tonight.

Bill Fiske: 21%-6,768
Lauren Winters: 20%-6,638
Kyle Millenberg: 20%-6,541
David O'Connor: 20%-6,476
Jennifer Annika: 19%-6,341

Jabez Parsons: 30%-9,614 ✔
Benjamin Smith: 27%-8,629
Tyler Medford: 27%-8,496
Francis McGuinty: 15%-4,762

89% of Precincts Reporting

Tom Griffith: More results soon, and talking with more of reporters on the ground after the break.



If you have any questions in or out of game, don't hesitate to message me.


[1] Wikimedia Commons, media logo used under Fair Use

[KaiserDave]

Primary Results

[1]

Tom Griffith: Good morning New Hampshire. Today is September 13th, and yesterday was primary day, and boy was it exciting.

Jennifer Vaughn: You can say that again Tom, two gripping, competitive and close contests, really kept us at the edges of our seats last night.

Tom Griffith: And as you said, both very close, and the Democratic one ultimately decided by a single sword stroke. Last night, State Senator and Chester Town Moderator Jabez Parsons was nominated by the Republican Party as their candidate for New Hampshire's First District, and Durham Mayor Lauren Winters was nominated by the Democratic Party as their candidate.

Jennifer Vaughn: Mayor Winters was powered by a broad coalition of very liberal Democrats who liked her anti war and pro universal healthcare stance and some more moderate attracted by her pragmatic views on trade and immigration, support for gun rights.

Tom Griffith: This race really came down to a small amount of votes, but a win is a win, I look forward to the competitive Parsons vs Winters general election. It will be something. Here is a detailed summary of results.

Lauren Winters: 20.4%-7,368 ✔
Bill Fiske: 20.2%-7,296
Kyle Millenberg: 19.9%-7,189
David O'Connor: 19.9%-7,177
Jennifer Annika: 19.5%-7,046

Jabez Parsons: 30.1%-10,417 ✔
Benjamin Smith: 27.5%-9,655
Tyler Medford: 27.2%-9,483
Francis McGuinty: 15.2%-5,295

100% of Precincts Reporting

Fellows, this was something truly amazing. It's my first time running an American election game, and I consider the first and principal half to have been a smashing success. The winner was determined by a combination of qualitative stats (my views on your campaigns, the lane you took, debate performances, schedule consistency, my take on the 2006 environment based on data) and RNG. I wish you all could have won, I really do. It's painful because you all made such amazing characters. I hope you won't hold any of this against me, it's just a game . Just know that there are always more games to be played! I'm sure we will all enjoy them together.

As for our winners, congratulations! I look forward immensely to the general election.


[1] Wikimedia Commons, media logo used under Fair Use

[Left Wing]

Speech from Kyle Millenberg HQ on results

Well folks, the results are in. And, it wasn't quite what we were hoping for. But know this, this was a win against the political establishment in Washington! We received over 20% of the vote, far higher than where we were polling when this all started. You knocked an thousands of doors, made thousands of phone calls, made thousands of donations, all of those efforts won those votes and for that, I am eternally grateful to you all. We may not have won this election, but we made a statement with the results. A statement that you can run all the slick ads you want, receive all the talking points form the board room, but you can't beat the power of earning the voter's trust by local service. So I'm asking you, not to wonder what my next political campaign will be, but to wonder about yours. Take it from me, you can make difference in your community if you run.

I also want to congratulate our nominee, Mayor Winters! She ran a great campaign and this was a well-deserved victory for her. I have already called her to inform her I will do anything she needs to win this general election. It's important we unite this party to put an end to the days of Bush's free reign in Washington. I also want to congratulate my fellow defeated candidates in this primary on very well-run campaigns. I was glad to see we all remained above the fray and didn't engage in many personal attacks on each other. Our debates were very civil and I very much appreciated it. I also want to thank my family for sticking by me and always helping when they could throughout my time in office and throughout this campaign. And lastly, I want to thank Belknap County, I won't be your treasurer for very much longer, but I want to say that serving you over these last eight years has been the opportunity of a lifetime. Voters of both parties placed their trust in me time and time again for this job and I really hope you feel I have served you to the best of my ability.

Well folks, thank you, thank you, thank you, God bless America and don't forget to vote Winters!

[KaiserDave]

General Election: Turn I September 12th-October 31st

[1]

Tom Griffith: Good morning New Hampshire. Welcome to WMUR New Hampshire, broadcasting from Manchester. Watch out for the wind it's a real windy one today, temperatures in the mid fifties on this September day. Today we turn out attention to the exciting congressional race in New Hampshire's First District between Durham Mayor Lauren Winters and Chester Town Moderator and State Senator Jabez Parsons, they're starting to hit the trail for the November election, and folks are starting to pay attention.

Jennifer Vaughn: And I thought the primaries were exciting!

Tom Griffith: Well I'm very excited for the general election campaign, it should be very special, and to kick it off we have a new poll from the American Research Group, indicating where the race is at right now.

Jennifer Vaughn: I remind our viewers there's always the potential for error, especially in the campaign, but this is where the ARG says we're at right now.

American Research Group Poll: Who do you support for Congress in New Hampshire's First District?
Conducted from September 15th-September 19th
Sample Size: 545
MoE: +/- 4.3%
Jabez Parsons: 46%
Lauren Winters: 42%
Undecided/Other: 12%

Tom Griffith: Early advantage to Senator Parsons it seems, but with over 10% undecided. I thing we can say for sure that this race will be close. I'm very excited to see where this goes. And I look forward to interviewing both of the candidates.

Jennifer Vaughn: I'm not sure they're looking forward Tom. You ask the tough questions and we all know how politicians move.

Tom Griffith: What can I say? I ask the tough questions, I look forward to meeting Mr. Parsons and Ms. Winters.




Welcome to the first of two terms of the General Election phase of East of the Merrimack. I'm very excited folks! You will be expected to post your schedules for the amount of time specified above, September 12th to October 31st. There will be a debate this turn, and you will also be sent questions for a TV interview with Tom Griffith which will be very important to how voters just now paying attention perceive you. It is very important, as is the debate. Looking forward to the schedules this turn! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask! Former candidates are free to show their activities, but naturally this is optional.


[1] Wikimedia Commons, media logo used under Fair Use

[Kuumo]

Lauren Winters for Congress
September 13th, 2006 - October 31st, 2006

September 13th-14th: Help plan for the general election with campaign staff.
September 15th: Town hall in Manchester.
September 16th-18th: Barnstorm Manchester, Auburn, Hooksett, Goffstown, Bedford, and Merrimack.
September 19th: Phonebank with supporters in Dover.
September 20th: Meet with union leaders in Dover.
September 21st: Town hall in Hampstead.
September 22nd-24th: Barnstorm Derry, Londonderry, Hampstead, Chester, Raymond, Deerfield, Epping, Brentwood, and Kingston.
September 27th: Town hall in Seabrook.
September 28th-30th: Barnstorm Rye, North Hampton, Hampton, Seabrook, South Hampton, Kensington, Exeter, Newfields, and Newmarket.

October 1st: Phonebank with supporters in Portsmouth.
October 2nd: Town hall in Dover.
October 3rd-5th: Barnstorm Dover, Rollinsford, Somersworth, Newington, and Portsmouth.
October 6th: Meet with union leaders in Rochester.
October 7-8th: Barnstorm Rochester, Milton, Farmington, Middleton, Wakefield, and Wolfeboro.
October 10th: Voter registration drive at SNHU in Manchester.
October 11th: Meet with union leaders in Laconia.
October 12th: Town hall in Alton.
October 13th: Barnstorm Alton, Barnstead, Gilmanton, and Center Harbor.
October 14th: Rally in Laconia with Kyle Millenberg.
October 15th: Barnstorm Laconia and Gilford.
October 16th: Meet with environmentalist activist leaders in Manchester.
October 17th: Voter registration drive at UNH.
October 18th: Town hall in Deerfield.
October 19th: Barnstorm Deerfield, Nottingham, Barrington, and Northwood.
October 20th: Meet with pro-choice activists in Portsmouth.
October 23rd: Town hall in Freedom.
October 24th-27th: Barnstorm Wolfeboro, Tuftonboro, Moutonborough, Ossipee, Effingham, Freedom, Madison, Conway, Jackson, Bartlett, and Hart's Location.
October 28th: Rally in Conway with Bill Fiske.
October 29th-30th: Debate preparation.
October 31st: Hand out candy to trick-or-treaters in Durham.

[Brother Jonathan]

Jabez Parsons for Congress

Schedule, September 12th to October 31st

September 12th- Primary Victory Rally- “Fighting for You”

Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we start the next leg of this campaign. I’m running to represent the people of New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional district, and I will continue to fight this campaign as I always have, and with the same spirit I will bring to Washington; that of independent determination and a firm belief that the people of this District deserve a Congressman who will work for them. Thank you all! Let’s win this thing!

September 13th- Unity Breakfast with fellow Republicans, Rally in Manchester with Mayor Guinta
September 14th- Town hall in Portsmouth with Sen. Lugar before his departure
September 15th- Fundraiser in Portsmouth, rally that night
September 16th- Town hall in Hampton
September 17th- Visit Rochester Fair, meet with volunteers staffing the booth
September 18th- Door knocking in Derry, rally that night
September 19th- Town hall in Conway
September 20th- Speech on campaign finance reform at Manchester West High School

We cannot allow for special interests to hold our government hostage, to set the agenda and call the tune. Washington needs to have independent leaders, willing to speak their minds, and we need people in Congress and at every other level of government who will fight for what they think is right no matter what the special interests say. I think McCain Feingold is a good start, but we need a comprehensive campaign finance reform bill that will, once and for all, put independent leaders in the driver’s seat once again. I will fight for just that sort of legislation in Congress.

September 21st- Barnstorming Wolfeboro, Tuftonboro, and Moultonborough
September 22nd- Door knocking in Manchester
September 23rd- Breakfast at the Red Arrow dinner, door-knocking in Manchester with Mayor Guinta
September 24th- Telephone town hall with small business leaders around the state
September 25th- Meeting with Manchester area charities to discuss federal policy
September 26th- Special State Senate session
September 27th- Rally in Exeter
September 28th- Door knocking in Exeter, Newfields, and Newmarket
September 29th- Fundraiser speech in Rye
September 30th- Attend opening of Deerfield fair

October 1st- Barnstorming Deerfield, Northwood, Nottingham, and Epping
October 2nd- Barnstorming Barrington, Madbury, and Dover
October 3rd- Barnstorming Bartlett, Chatham, Jackson, Conway, Hale’s Location, and Albany
October 4th- Telephone town hall with local farmers on agriculture issues
October 5th- Barnstorming Hampton, Rye, New Castle
October 6th- Fundraising speech in Portsmouth
October 7th-8th- Meetings with campaign staff
October 9th- Town hall in Durham for UNH students
October 10th- Interview at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics, Saint Anselm College
October 11th- Door knocking in Bedford
October 12th- Barnstorming Bedford and Merrimack
October 13th- Rally in Wolfeboro
October 14th- Roundtable with local business leaders in Manchester
October 15th- Meeting with NH YMCA leadership to discuss federal legislation and local programs
October 16th- Barnstorming Candia and Raymond
October 17th- Kick-off “Around The District” Tour with Rally in Bartlett, barnstorm Hart’s Location, Jackson, Hale’s Location, and Chatham
October 18th- Town halls in Conway and Madison, barnstorming Eaton, Albany, and Freedom
October 19th- Town halls in Tamworth and Ossipee, barnstorming Sandwich and Effingham
October 20th- Town halls in Moultonboro and Wolfeboro, barnstorming Tuftonboro, Center Harbor, and New Hampton
October 21st- Town halls in Meredith, Gilford, and Alton
October 22nd- Town hall and rally in Laconia
October 23rd- Town hall in Belmont, barnstorming Barnstead and Gilmanton
October 24th- Town hall in Wakefield, barnstorming Brookfield, Middleton, and New Durham
October 25th- Town halls in Milton, Farmington, Rochester, and Somersworth
October 26th- Town halls in Rollinsford and Dover, barnstorming Madbury, Barrington, and Strafford
October 27th- Town halls in Durham, Lee, and Epping
October 28th- Town hall in Portsmouth, barnstorming Rye, New Castle, Greenland, and Newington
October 29th- Town halls in Stratham, Newmarket, Newfields and Exeter
October 30th- Town halls in Nottingham, Northwood, Deerfield, and Raymond
October 31st- Hand out Halloween candy at Chester town library

[KaiserDave]

Tom Griffith Interviews

[1]

Tom Griffith: Hello WMUR viewers. This week I had the privilege of sitting down with the two major candidates for Congress in the First District, Durham Mayor Lauren Winters and Chester Native State Senator Jabez Parsons. Here's what we discussed.

Winters Interview

Tom Griffith: Welcome Ms. Mayor, happy to be sitting across from you today.

Lauren Winters: It's my pleasure Tom.

Tom Griffith: Well, let's begin. How are you feeling about the general election?

Lauren Winters: I’m feeling good about the progress we’ve made. When we started this campaign, no one outside of Durham knew who I was. After a year of going out and spreading our message to every corner of southeastern New Hampshire, we won a competitive primary over better funded and more established opponents. I’m optimistic about the general election but not taking anything for granted.

Tom Griffith: Alright, alright. In that case, what do you think New Hampshire is looking for in a Congressperson?

Lauren Winters: From my experiences talking with people in various places and professions and across the political spectrum, I’ve found that most voters here hope for a Representative who serves as an independent voice and shares their experiences and values. My campaign has not taken money from large corporate donors and largely relies on small individual donations for funding. I’m not beholden to the powerful interest groups that hold undue influence in our government. My family has deep roots in New Hampshire, and I’ve lived here for almost all my life. While I’ve been fortunate enough to live relatively comfortably today, in my younger years, my family was no stranger to some of the kitchen table issues that still affect many of us today.

Tom Griffith: Do you approve of Governor Lynch, do you think he’s done a good job?

Lauren Winters: Yes, I do approve of John Lynch’s performance as governor. He has proven to be a capable leader for our state who doesn’t get bogged down in trivial partisan squabbles. Governor Lynch’s many visits to the Alstead area to take an active role in helping flood survivors recover and rebuild last fall show the sincerity of his mission to improve the well-being of our state. Our government in Washington would be less toxic and dysfunctional if it had more leaders like John Lynch.

Tom Griffith: Do you approve of President Bush, do you think he’s done a good job?

Lauren Winters: I disapprove of Bush’s performance as President because he’s left behind the American people. It’s become clear that he favors enriching the already wealthy under the guise of small government. His attempts to privatize Social Security and the No Child Left Behind Act show that he doesn’t have our interests in mind; cutting benefits for retirees and cutting funding for struggling public schools do not help anyone. The President has also enabled a culture of secrecy among his cabinet and advisers. The Scooter Libby scandal and the false pretense of ‘weapons of mass destruction’ are part of a larger pattern that illustrates the need for better oversight of the federal government.

Tom Griffith: What are your priorities in federal budgeting?

Lauren Winters: My biggest priorities in federal budgeting are infrastructure, healthcare, and education. They are the most important things for building strong communities: infrastructure to ensure local economies operate smoothly and safely, healthcare to protect the elderly and treat the sick, and education to train the next generation.

Tom Griffith: Will you support Nancy Pelosi for Speaker?

Lauren Winters: While I have not been shy about criticizing Democratic leadership on some issues, I would be inclined to support Nancy Pelosi for Speaker if Democrats retake the House this November. She has been a capable Minority Leader who has so far been able to unite a geographically and ideologically diverse caucus. It’s important to consider multiple perspectives when drafting major legislation, so we need to be unified as a party to ensure that we accomplish our top priorities.

Tom Griffith:  How would you like to see a withdrawal from Iraq play out?

Lauren Winters: I think we could feasibly start gradually withdrawing troops next spring and have all of the combat forces out of the country by the end of 2008. We should consider leaving a few non-combat troops behind to advise the Iraqi military as they rebuild their country.

Tom Griffith: What’s an example of a proposal from the House Democrats or party leaders you would have or will oppose?

Lauren Winters: There have been some disturbing trends of increased support for expanding the surveillance state and disregard for workers’ rights among some members of my party. A recent example of the latter are some of the proposals for guest worker programs such as in the defeated McCain-Kennedy immigration bill that do not provide adequate workplace protections for migrant workers and leave us more vulnerable to illegal immigrants driving down wages for workers in the farm industry.

Parsons Interview

Tom Griffith: Welcome Mr. Senator, happy you made it all safe and sound.

Jabez Parsons: Thank you Tom, good to see you.

Tom Griffith: Well, let's get started. How are you feeling about the general election?

Jabez Parsons: Very good, Tom. I believe that the people of the New Hampshire First want an independent voice in Congress, and I am proud to say I can offer them that voice. I will also get things done for this district, and I have a legislative record to back up my promises. I think the voters know we will face tough choices in the future, and I believe I am more than capable of keeping their trust and making those hard votes.

Tom Griffith: Alright then. What do you think New Hampshire is looking for in a Congressperson?

Jabez Parsons: New Hampshire has always valued independence, it’s that “live free or die” spirit that really permeates the state. I think the voters of New Hampshire want an independent voice in Congress, someone who will stand up for them, not for any party or President. That’s why I am running, to stand up for this district, and I think the voters of New Hampshire want someone who will do just that.

Tom Griffith: Do you approve of Governor Lynch, do you think he’s done a good job?

Jabez Parsons: I’ve been able to work with Governor Lynch on a lot of legislation in Concord, and I respect him. We don’t agree on much, but I think Governor Lynch is an intelligent, well-intentioned, and open-minded leader who has been more willing than many Democrats in this state and across the country to work with Republicans to get things done for the people of this state. I think we need more of that attitude, and I hope to be able to bring the same spirit of cooperation between ideological opposites that we have in Concord.

Tom Griffith: Do you approve of President Bush, do you think he’s done a good job?

Jabez Parsons: Well, I respect President Bush, I voted for him in 2004, and I think he is a true believer in his message. I think he has done a lot to protect this nation from terrorism, and I think he has been willing to really fight for what he believes in. Of course, he’s made mistakes, but every President does. I believe President Bush is a man of character, with a positive vision for this country, and though I don’t agree with him on everything, I think he has done a lot of good for the nation.

Tom Griffith: How would you work to balance the federal budget?

Jabez Parsons: Well, I would fight pork-barrel spending tooth and nail, for starters. I think we also need to get a real handle on procurement costs, which are frankly too high. I would go through line by line and fight waste wherever it can be found, and I will work across the aisle to get it done. I plan on releasing reports every year I am in Congress, working with my staff and like-minded colleagues to identify wasteful spending, and I will personally revive Senator Proxmire’s Golden Fleece Award. We need to get a grip on waste in Washington, that’s the bottom line.

Tom Griffith: Will you support Dennis Hastert for Speaker?

Jabez Parsons: I’ve met Speaker Hastert, and he is a competent legislative leader, but I  can see a case for new leadership. I couldn’t really comment until I knew who was running, and I won’t pledge my vote to anyone for Speaker at this time.

Tom Griffith: Hundreds of casualties, billions of dollars, and three years later, why are we still in Iraq?

Jabez Parsons: We are in Iraq because, whether or not you supported the war, it is now a reality. To up and leave, as simple as that seems, would only invite even further calamity later on down the road. I have a lot of friends who opposed the war, or said it was misguided, people I deeply respect and I disagreed with, but now we are all on the same page; we have to see this through. A destabilized Iraq would be a haven for terrorists, a pawn in Iran’s pocket, and within a decade we would likely find ourselves once again threatened by the prospect of an aggressive Iraq. We could go ten rounds on “should we have gone in?” but that’s not the question Tom. The question is “how do we deal with it now that we are in it?” and I think the only answer is to see this through, build up the capacity of the Iraqi government, and build a free society out of the ruins of war.

Tom Griffith: You've said repeatedly you are a maverick, someone who won't vote the party line. What's an example of a proposal from the House GOP or President Bush you would have or will oppose?

Jabez Parsons: Off the top of my head; No Child Left Behind, the PATRIOT act, and the upper-income range of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts. I think we need to get our deficit under control and I think I might butt heads with my party over the specifics of that, certainly I know some will take issue with my opposition to wasteful pork-barrel spending and earmarks. I’m a proud Republican, but that’s not why I am running for Congress. Ultimately, Tom, I’m running to represent the people of this district, not my party, and I know the voters will hold me to that.






[1] Wikimedia Commons, media logo used under Fair Use

[KaiserDave]

Debate Rules and Regulations

Welcome to the first and only general election debate East of the Merrimack. Debates in the GE will be important in differentiating the candidates, forcing you to take tough positions, and encouraging rhetorical combat. Debates will be judged on the cohesiveness of your answers (not, cohesiveness is not grammar, people don't always speak in good grammar), and rhetorical skill. There will also be a randomized element for scoring. There will be an opening statement, four general questions, and a personalized question. You are also invited to post another written statement, rebutting the views of others or attacking other candidates. Naturally there will also be a closing statement. Answers should be of reasonable lengths. Not four sentences, and also not two paragraphs.

University of New Hampshire PBS Debate

Russel Morgan: Welcome to the PBS Congressional Debate here at the Palace Theatre in Manchester. I'm Russel Morgan of the New Hampshire PBS, I'm joined by Wesley Jones of the Union Leader, and Ray Brewer of WMUR. Today we're moderating the first and only debate for the first congressional district of New Hampshire. Let's begin.

1. An Opening Statement

2. What is the biggest national security threat to America today?

3. How serious is the threat of a nuclear Iran?

4. Generally speaking, is government the problem or the solution?

5. Do you believe the American economy is sound?

Personalized Questions:

To Jabez Parsons: In a recent interview, you came out against the PATRIOT Act, supported by most Republicans. Care to elaborate on your position?
To Lauren Winters: Why do you support single payer healthcare?


6. Rebuttal Period

7. Closing Statement