Manchester – The momentum and excitement around John Kerry’s candidacy continues to build since he officially kicked off his campaign last week.  Today, Kerry’s team announced an additional 55 New Hampshire activists who have pledged their support for John Kerry’s campaign for President.

“I am proud to have earned the support of these prominent New Hampshire activists,” John Kerry said today.  “These individuals, like most New Hampshire voters, understand the influence their “first in the nation” status has on the rest of our country and I respect that process.  These men and women are a strong addition to my New Hampshire team and will be invaluable as we continue the important and exciting process of introducing my campaign to the rest of the state.”

The 55 new activists who have announced their support for John Kerry are:

Mark Rouvalis, Concord, former Democratic State Committee Legal Counsel; Harold Janeway, Webster, former chair of The Nature Conservancy and the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests; Barbara French, Henniker, State Representative; Anne McLane Kuster, Hopkinton, Democratic activist; Jim Ryan, Henniker, chair of “Think Dynamic,” Democratic Party issues working group; John Lilly, Franklin, Quarter Master of the Franklin V.F.W.; Claudia Damon, Concord, community activist.

Charlie St. Clair, Laconia, Exec. Director of Laconia Motorcycle Week, community activist; Jennifer Anderson, Northfield, Director of Laconia Motorcycle Week; Jody Young, Rumney, environmental activist; Sid Lovett, Holderness, former State Representative; Mel O’Connor, Plymouth, community activist.

Tom Britton, Troy, who has served as chair, Monadnock Regional School District; chair, Cheshire County Democratic Committee, Troy Town Moderator; chair of White House Commission on Presidential Scholars appointed by President Clinton; Jim Grant, Peterborough, community activist; Lillian Grant, Peterborough, community activist; Daniel TwoEagles, Wilton, Democratic activist; Helen Cady, Milford, Democratic activist; Michael Atkins, Lyndeborough, Democratic activist; Lara Rice, Nashua, community activist, domestic and sexual violence victim advocate; John Pendleton, Nashua, Democratic activist; Sarah Pendleton, Nashua, Democratic activist; Joe Whelton, Nashua, former chair of the Nashua Democratic Committee.

Fred Ross, Dover, President of the Seacoast chapter of the NAACP; Bill Knowles, Dover, State Representative; Janice Rundles, Lee, Strafford County Attorney; Joan Ashwell, Durham, Democratic activist; Roger Berube, Somersworth, State Representative; Irene Creteau, Rochester, State Representative;

Joan Burkholder, Madbury, chair of the Madbury Town Democratic Committee; David Watters, Dover, former chair of the Strafford County Democratic Committee;

Paul Dumont, Rochester, former Strafford County Commissioner; Joanne Dodge, Dover, seniors advocate and community activist; Ann MacKinnon, Lee, Democratic activist; Paul Ossenbruggen, Newmarket, Prof. of Civil Engineering at UNH; Lea Aeschliman, Portsmouth, former P.U.C. Commissioner; Nick Aeschliman, Portsmouth, Democratic activist; Gary Patton, Hampton, co-chair of the Hampton Town Democratic Committee; Ellen Bennett, Portsmouth, Democratic activist; Dick Caravati, South Hampton, community activist.

Tom King, Manchester, former Chief of Police; Dan Callaghan, Manchester, former Democratic State Committee Treasurer and Bill Bradley 2000 Steering Committee; Jim Freiburger, Manchester, professor at Southern New Hampshire University and community activist; Aline Lotter, Manchester, former chair of the N.H. chapter of the Sierra Club; Joan Flurey, Manchester, educator; Karen McGonagle, Manchester, educator; Dee Dee Tagalakis, Manchester, educator; George Tagalakis, Manchester, SEIU Local 1984 member; Beverly Teach Wiegler, Goffstown, environmental activist.

Grace Reisdorf, Derry, former Derry School Board chair and N.H. School Boards Association chair; Mark Aronson, Londonderry, Democratic activist; Laura Aronson, Londonderry, Democratic activist. Larry Enman, Errol, chair of the Errol Town Democratic Committee; Stanley Solomon, Albany, chair of the Albany Town Democratic Committee; Wendy Palm, Wolfeboro, chair of the Wolfeboro Town Democratic Committee; Dick Poulin, Berlin, State Representative.