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NH Republicans - Still Not Getting It???

This Saturday, the annual meeting of the NH GOP will take place, and at the end, we'll all know who will serve as the Chair of the NH Republican party.

Will it be technological wizard and coalition builder Andrew Hemingway, or will it be longtime party activist and former Congressional candidate Jennifer Horn? It appears that will be decided by delegates who have had no strong ties to either, but are asking which of the two is best equipped to move the party out of the doldrums of the past couple of years.

Both candidates have been working hard to garner votes, and both have received important endorsements from well-known state and local Republican leaders. But when the names of the well-known are put aside, it may very well be the disenchanted and non-"connected" Republicans from around the state who will swing the election - - - those who look back at party problems of the past couple of years and say enough is enough, and think that without significant change, the party will continue to lose ground in New Hampshire.

Last week, things turned nasty when a supporter of Horn sent out an email to Saturday's delegates that can only be described as an extremely negative personal attack on Hemingway. And the email was sent out via an email account of another well-known former Republican candidate in 2012, who has stated clearly that he did not authorize it or even know about it, and reported that his account had been used by the Horn campaign. No statement was issued by the Horn campaign on the incident, nor has Horn mentioned it in multiple emails sent out since then. Hemingway also reported that he has not received any communication - verbal or written - from Horn, despite a public announcement from her a few days ago that she was inviting him to a "private" lunch that she said would take place next week after the election for party chairman.

So, while everyone is talking about the need for unity within the state party, the behind-the-scene activity appears to signify otherwise. And that makes people like me wonder just how much party stalwarts recognize that without change, they will not attract new or younger voters, nor will they win back disenchanted Republicans.

As readers of this blog know, I recently added another component to my "Tell It Like It Is" show called "Just Saying", which is not a talk show, but is a short commentary on emerging issues. As an observer of the nonsense now going on, I felt compelled to comment on the damage it does to the party in our state.

"NH Republicans - Still Not Getting It???" can now be watched on YouTube by clicking the link above or going to: http://youtu.be/21X6p8yKwvw

Joe Barton

9:42 am on Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Jennifer Horn is the worst candidate for chair in the history of candidates for chair.

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Really??

10:23 am on Wednesday, January 23, 2013

She is a perfect representative of today's GOP.

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Richard C Barnes

12:06 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Joe,
Instead of focusing on negative with no suggestions for alternatives, please list who from the GOP you would consider a better alternative?

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Dan

1:30 pm on Thursday, January 24, 2013

Richard: When WMUR states that Ms. Horn has a fairly large tax lien on her home, over back taxes, does a Republican need any more reason to NOT vote for her?

Or is it just ok for the GOP to practice their time honored tradition of Carefree Deficit Spending, a privilege that only Republicans can be allowed to do...

Proud Conservative

12:01 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013

And "Democrats Not Getting It" can be seen every day on the news; can be read about in the newspapers and magazines; and can be followed on the internet.

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Atlant Schmidt

12:21 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Sadly for you, though, we Democrats win elections.

(We'd win even more if it were not for Republican gerrymandering.)

So I'd have to say that when it comes to understanding the will of the electorate, we Democrats "get it" far more than do modern Republicans.

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Patriot

9:07 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013

You would win even less if everyone had a job. I always wondered why the press catered to the democrats. Then I realized the democrats where all at home watching TV.

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Dan

1:32 pm on Thursday, January 24, 2013

Right......thus the reason why Speaker Boehner and the House voted to kick the can down the road on the debt ceiling for another 3 months.

Could it be that Mr. Boehner has a bigger mess than he thought. Big Chief Boehner has less Indians to manipulate...

Stephen Poschmann

12:37 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Yes, the Democrats really do "get it". They "get" how to demogogue, lie and demonize Republican candidates, and cynically promise further unsustainable government spending and entitlements for the ignorant. Congratulations to you.

Also, I'm relieved to know Democrats are so pure that they never engage in gerrymandering.

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steve forte

1:04 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Actualy ya won the last 2 pres elections after losing the 2 before. Ya also got ya azzes handed to ya at the last midterms. So in realty , both sides win elections.
It will probably stay that way as Many Americans live smack in the middle of both parties. Many folks dont like to be controlled and both parties are control freaks. What they want to control may be different , but control freaks just the same.

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ObserverNH

4:25 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Talk about not getting it... Democrats have to 'suffer' through their jobs? Why bother to try to get elected?

This was sent out by one of the candidates.. (1 of 2)

For Immediate Release:
Contact – Andrew Hemingway
603-203-4063

Candidate for NHGOP Chair Andrew Hemingway calls for the Immediate Removal of House Criminal Justice and Safety Chair, Laura Pantelakos

Yesterday at the NH State House, hundreds of citizens came together to provide testimony to the House Criminal Justice and Safety Committee in regards to HB 135. The citizens who took valuable time out of their busy schedules arrived and gave testimony both in support of and in opposition to HB 135. After a particularly moving statement from a citizen in opposition of HB 135, there were a few who clapped briefly showing their support. It was at this point that the Chair showed her true bias and her true ideology by saying, “Show some respect for the members of this committee. We are forced to sit here and suffer through this…I am not going to tolerate this!”

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ObserverNH

4:25 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013

cont'd

“Suffer through this” ...That is to say that the chairwoman listening to voters voicing their opinions on legislation is to suffer. This is the Democrat leadership’s opinion of listening to New Hampshire voters. This is without a doubt the most divisive, extreme leadership we have ever seen in the State House. Candidate for NHGOP Chair Andrew Hemingway, who attended the hearing yesterday, said “I was at the hearing and hundreds of citizens sacrificed time from their jobs and families to attend this hearing and were disrespected by the comments of the chairwoman. I am calling for her immediate removal as Chair of the committee. If the burden of listening to voters is too great for the chairwoman, than it is incumbent upon Speaker Norelli to remove her as chair and replace her with one that respects the voice of the people.”

He continued, “Following the removal of the Redress of Grievances committee and now these statements, it is becoming apparent that this Democrat-lead House is not interested in hearing from the citizens of New Hampshire. They were elected to represent the voters of New Hampshire, yet their unwillingness to listen begs the question: Who exactly are they representing?”

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Kathy Benuck

5:06 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013

It was very refreshing to learn of Andrew's rapid response to this situation. Chairperson Pantelakos has clearly forgotten the job of legislators to listen to constituents.

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Jan Schmidt

5:39 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013

The House is a place of decorum, applause isn't allowed following testamony. It wasn't allowed by the last Leader, and isn't allowed now. If you find it necessary to manipulate the facts to make your point, you lose all credibility.

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Really??

7:35 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013

That would be Andrew's job, to cry "The Sky is Falling!" every day.

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Patriot

9:14 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013

Ok Jan, and who claimed the last leader of the house was out of control? Seams that when the shoe is on the other foot the body still moves in the same direction.

Joe Barton

12:54 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013

REASONS NOT TO VOTE FOR HORN
1. She is financially irresponsible. She's indebt to herself for sum 200k and in debt to the IRS for sum 92k.
2. She cannot fund raise. She had to finance most of her campaigns, putting herself in debt so much that she couldnt pay her taxes. And we want her to lead the party to raise funds?
3. She's a hypocrite. She calls for an end to supposed "personal attacks" yet she allows one of her staffers to push through a disgusting e-mail from Bruce Perlo to the committee using Kevin Smith's constant contact.
4. She's a bully. She can't win on her own merit so she has her "enforcer" clear the competition so she can run "unopposed." Hemingway definitely has some cajones.
5. She knows nothing about winning elections and everthing about losing them. She's lost 2 times herself and everyone she's endorsed for partisan office has lost; Kevin Smith LOST
Tim Pawlenty LOST
Mitt Romney LOST
6. She can't run a meeting. She had to defer to the parlimentarian at the convention in september every 3 minutes because she doesn't know Robert's Rules or basic parlimentry procedure.
7. She is the sock puppet of an old guard who's old school ideas have failed the party. Its bad enough we get out raised 4-1 on general election years; somethings got to change.
8. She has improperly managed her 501C4 "We the People; a freedom forum" failed to register it wit hthe IRS, and the FED. She filed no FEC reports and it eventually was dissolvedm but still accepted money.

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Joe Barton

12:10 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013

REASONS NOT TO VOTE FOR HORN
1. She is financially irresponsible. She's indebt to herself for sum 200k and in debt to the IRS for sum 92k.
2. She cannot fund raise. She had to finance most of her campaigns, putting herself in debt so much that she couldnt pay her taxes. And we want her to lead the party to raise funds?
3. She's a hypocrite. She calls for an end to supposed "personal attacks" yet she allows one of her staffers to push through a disgusting e-mail from Bruce Perlo to the committee using Kevin Smith's constant contact

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Joe Barton

12:11 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013

4. She's a bully. She can't win on her own merit so she has her "enforcer" clear the competition so she can run "unopposed." Hemingway definitely has some cajones.
5. She knows nothing about winning elections and everthing about losing them. She's lost 2 times herself and everyone she's endorsed for partisan office has lost; Kevin Smith LOST
Tim Pawlenty LOST
Mitt Romney LOST
6. She can't run a meeting. She had to defer to the parlimentarian at the convention in september

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Joe Barton

12:11 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013

7. She is the sock puppet of an old guard who's old school ideas have failed the party. Its bad enough we get out raised 4-1 on general election years; somethings got to change.
8. She has improperly managed her 501C4 "We the People; a freedom forum" failed to register it wit hthe IRS, and the FED. She filed no FEC reports and it eventually was dissolvedm but still accepted money.

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Joe Barton

12:21 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013

9. SOCIAL MEDIA. ok shes got 316 fans on her facebook page. Andrew has more than double that at 735. She's unfamiliar with new tech.
10. She wants it for the power; (which there really isn't any) instead of policy promotion.

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Really??

7:36 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013

9. SOCIAL MEDIA. Andrew is barely old enough to drink, of course he spends all his time on facebook.

Kathy Benuck

8:52 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013

The comment of Really?? reflects the personal and negative tones of the campaign that so many of us find distasteful. Andrew's bio includes information that he has been married for something like 10 years, and that the couple has two children. Such would indicate that he reached the legal age to purchase alcohol quite some time ago.

By the way, if the comment had instead imagined Jennifer's activities or misrepresented the facts of her personal life, I would have responded in the same vein.

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Really??

10:03 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013

Kathy's inability to comprehend humor reflects what so many of us find distasteful.

olenhgal

10:17 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013

Stop attacking each other and give us some ideas. Be part of the solution, not part of the problems.

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Atlant Schmidt

12:30 pm on Thursday, January 24, 2013

The solution is to remove modern-day Teapublicans from government at all levels. If you'd like to see a renaissance of old-style New England Republicans (who were truly conservative and not reactionary), then that's a different story.

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No Longer interested

1:02 pm on Thursday, January 24, 2013

Mr. Flasher is delusional. He thinks that a "democrat party" exists, and that it has socialists in it.

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No Longer interested

1:07 pm on Thursday, January 24, 2013

Mr. Flasher hates it when his ignorance is exposed, but then again, he's got no one to blame but himself and his own ignorance.

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