Endorsements
With Republicans dominating top elected offices in the state (governor, all five executive councillors, and the four-person congressional delegation), Democratic presidential candidates are competing for the endorsements of six Democratic state senators, over 100 Democratic state representatives, as well as mayors, local officials, and members of the party's state committee.
 T H E    B I G    P I C T U R E
E L E C T E D   O F F I C I A L S
Executive
Governor Craig Benson (R)
Executive Council
First District--Raymond S. Burton (R)
Second District--Peter J. Spaulding (R) 
Third District--Ruth L. Griffin (R) 
Fourth District--Raymond J. Wieczorek (R) 
Fifth District--David K. Wheeler (R)

Legislature
House: 400 Members--117 D or D&R as of 1/1/03. list
Senate: 24 Members--18 R, 6 D as of 1/1/03.

Federal
U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg (R)
U.S. Sen. John Sununu (R)
U.S. Rep. Jeb Bradley (R-1st District)
U.S. Rep. Charlie Bass (R-2nd District)

County by County
Belknap
Carroll
Cheshire
Coos
Grafton
Hillsborough
Merrimack
Strafford
Sullivan
Rockingham
Updated through Jan. 25, 2004
Endorsements by State Legislators
Wesley Clark
Rep. Christine Hamm - Hopkinton
Rep. Marjorie Smith - Durham     12/19/03

Howard Dean (44 State Reps.)
CHESHIRE
Rep. Peter Allen - Harrisville   4/4/03
Rep. Tim Dunn - Keene   4/4/03
Rep. Peter Espiefs - Keene   4/4/03
Rep. David Meader - Keene 10/1/03
Rep. McKim Mitchell - Chesterfield   4/4/03
Rep. Barbara Richardson - Richmond   6/6/03
Rep. Tim Robertson - Keene   4/4/03
Rep. Jack Pratt - Walpole (formerly Gephardt)   4/4/03
Rep. Anna Tilton - Marlborough   4/4/03
Rep. Amy Webber - Dublin     6/6/03
Rep. Chuck Weed - Keene    7/23/03
GRAFTON
Rep. Ned Densmore - Franconia   4/4/03
Rep. Estelle Diamond - Hanover    6/6/03
Rep. Hilda Sokol - Hanover    6/6/03
Rep. Peter Solomon - Canaan    7/22/03
HILLSBOROUGH
Rep. Lionel Johnson - Manchester 6/6/03
Rep. Claudette Jean - Nashua 10/1/03
Rep. Mary Ellen Martin - Nashua   12/21/03
Rep. Steve Michon - Nashua   12/21/03
Rep. Anne-Marie Irwin - Peterborough   11/13/03
MERRIMACK
Rep. Candace C. W. Bouchard - Concord   6/6/03
Rep. Derek Owen - Hopkinton 8/29/03
Rep. Donald Brueggemann - Concord  12/05/03
Rep. Fran Potter - Concord   4/4/03
Rep. Gloria Seldin - Concord   4/4/03
Rep. Mary Stuart Gile - Concord   4/4/03
Rep. Jessie Osborne - Concord 10/29/03
Rep. Mary Jane Wallner - Concord   4/4/03
ROCKINGHAM
Rep. Jane Kelley (R) - Hampton    6/6/03
Rep. Terie Norelli - Portsmouth 12/8/03
Rep. Betsy Shultis - Portsmouth   4/4/03
Rep. Jim Splaine - Portsmouth   1/24/04
STRAFFORD
Rep. Anne Grassie - Rochester    7/23/03
Rep. Nancy Johnson - Milton   6/6/03
Rep. Joseph Miller - Durham   4/4/03
Rep. Arthur Pelletier - Dover   6/6/03
Rep. Peter Schmidt - Dover 10/15/03
Rep. Clair Snyder - Somersworth   6/6/03
Rep. Judith Spang - Durham 1/2/04
Rep. Dennis Vachon - Northwood 8/29/03
SULLIVAN
Rep. Brenda Ferland - Charlestown   8/6/03
Rep. Sandy Harris - Claremont  8/29/03
Rep. Joe Harris - Claremont 8/29/03
Rep. Jay Phinizy - Acworth   4/4/03

former
Rep. Ruth Bleyler - Lyme   6/6/03  switched to Kerry 10/23/03

John Edwards (2 State Sens. and 3 State Reps.) + 5 former Gephardt
Sen. Lou D'Allesandro - Manchester (Dist. 20)    10/30/03HILLSBOROUGH
Sen. Joe Foster - Nashua (Dist. 13)   1/21/03 HILLSBOROUGH
GRAFTON
Rep. Sharon Nordgren - Hanover   4/24/03
MERRIMACK
Rep. Steve DeStefano - Bow    9/15/03
STRAFFORD
Rep. Frank Callaghan - Rochester   9/15/03
 

former Gephardt (backed until he withdrew on 1/20/04)
Rep. Peter Burling - Corning 1/20/04 
Rep. Jim Craig - Manchester  1/22/04 
Rep. Robert Theberge - Berlin 1/22/04 
Rep. Ed Mears - Berlin 1/22/04 
Rep. Jackie Pitts - Portsmouth 1/22/04 

Richard A. Gephardt (28 State Reps.)  withdrew on Jan. 20, 2004
CHESHIRE
Rep. Irene Pratt - Winchester 7/23/03
COOS
Rep. Ed Mears - Berlin 2/26/03
Rep. Robert Theberge - Berlin 2/26/03
GRAFTON
Rep. Nancy Scovner - Enfield 2/26/03 
HILLSBOROUGH
Rep. Ben Baroody - Manchester 10/24/03 
Rep. Jim Craig - Manchester 4/10/03
Rep. Robert Haley - Manchester 3/12/03 
Rep. Eric Palangas - Manchester 4/10/03
Rep. Alice McDonough Wallace - Manchester    3/12/03 
Rep. Barbara Shaw - Manchester 5/15/03
Rep. Peter Cote - Nashua     2/26/03
Rep. Mary Gorman - Nashua 5/15/03
Rep. Angie Kopka - Nashua      2/26/03
Rep. Debra Kudalis - Nashua 3/12/03 
Rep. Roland Lefebvre - Nashua 3/12/03 
Rep. Cynthia Sweeney - Nashua 5/15/03
Rep. Chris Malloy - Pelham
MERRIMACK
Rep. Frank Davis - Pembroke 5/15/03
Rep. John DeJoie - Concord     2/26/03
Rep. Tara Reardon - Concord    2/26/03
Rep. Deanna Rush - Pembroke 5/15/03
ROCKINGHAM
Rep. Mary Ann Blanchard - Portsmouth  7/23/03
Rep. Bob Davidson - Newmarket    2/26/03
Rep. Paul McEachern - Portsmouth    2/26/03
Rep. Laura Pantelakos - Portsmouth   2/26/03
Rep. Jacqueline Pitts - Portsmouth   3/12/03
SULLIVAN
Rep. David Allison - Claremont 5/15/03
Rep. Peter Burling - Corning 6/25/03
 

former
Rep. Jack Pratt - Walpole 2/26/03 but withdrew support in letter of March 31.
Rep. Bob Batchelder - Marlow 2/26/03 resigned effective July 21 to move to a retirement community in Connecticut.

Joe Lieberman (13 State Reps.) + 1 former Gephardt
HILLSBOROUGH
Rep. Raymond Buckley - Manchester    3/13/03
Rep. Tom Katsiantonis - Manchester
Rep. Chris Pappas - Manchester 4/8/03
Rep. Maurice Pilotte - Manchester 6/5/03
Rep. Frank Sullivan - Manchester
Rep. Peter Sullivan - Manchester
Rep. Bette Lasky - Nashua
Rep. Lori Movsesian - Nashua
ROCKINGHAM
Rep. Corey Corbin - Sandown 6/17/03
Rep. Matt Vallone - Epping 4/8/03
STRAFFORD
Rep. Deanna Rollo - Rollinsford 5/10/03
Rep. Kathy Taylor - Dover 5/10/03
Rep. Kati Taylor - Dover 5/10/03

former Gephardt (backed until he withdrew on 1/20/04)
Rep. Alice McDonough Wallace - Manchester
 

former
Rep. Chris Konys - Nashua resigned effective July 10, moved to Mass.

John Kerry  (4 State Sens. and 17 State Reps.) + 9 former Gephardt
Sen. Sylvia Larsen - Concord (Dist. 15)        MERRIMACK
Sen. Burt Cohen - New Castle (Dist. 24)          ROCKINGHAM
Sen. Clifton Below - Lebanon (Dist. 5)   2/26/03        GRAFTON
Sen. Iris Estabrook - Durham (Dist. 21)  10/7/03           STRAFFORD
COOS
Rep. Dick Poulin - Berlin 9/11/03
GRAFTON
Rep. Susan Almy - Lebanon 
Rep. Ruth Bleyler - Lyme 10/23/03  formerly backed Dean (6/6/03) 
Rep. Bernie Benn - Hanover 11/17/03
MERRIMACK
Rep. Barbara French - Henniker 9/11/03
Rep. Randy Perkins - Franklin
HILLSBOROUGH
Rep. Bill Clayton - Manchester 1/13/04
Rep. Jane Clemons - Nashua 
Rep. David Cote - Nashua 
ROCKINGHAM
Rep. Kim Casey - East Kingston 12/2/03
STRAFFORD
Rep. Roger Berube - Somersworth 9/11/03
Rep. Irene Creteau - Rochester 9/11/03
Rep. Naida Kaen - Lee >
Rep. Bill Knowles - Dover 9/11/03
Rep. Emma Rous - Durham   12/22/03
SULLIVAN
Rep. Thomas E. Donovan - Claremont 

need to confirm
Rep. Roland Hofemann - Dover

former Gephardt (backed until he withdrew on 1/20/04)
Rep. Nancy Scovner - Enfield
Rep. John DeJoie - Concord
Rep. Deanna Rush - Pembroke
Rep. Debra Kudalis - Nashua
Rep. Roland Lefebvre - Nashua
Rep. Ben Baroody - Manchester
Rep. Eric Palangas - Manchester
Rep. Mary Ann Blanchard - Portsmouth 
Rep. Paul McEachern - Portsmouth 

former
Rep. Judith Spang - Durhamswitched to Dean announced 1/2/03

Endorsements by County Chairs
Belknap - Beth Arsenault    DEAN  (October 21, 2003)
Carroll - Dorothy Solomon of Albany
Cheshire - Rep. McKim Mitchell of Chesterfield    DEAN
Coos - Paul Robitaille of Gorham    KERRY (July 10, 2003)
Grafton - Arnold Shields of Piermont
Hillsborough - Donna Soucy of Manchester    LIEBERMAN  (March 27, 2003)
Merrimack - Bill Stetson of Concord    DEAN  (December 17, 2003)
Strafford - Carole Appel of Dover    KERRY  (June 20, 2003)
Sullivan - Rep. John Cloutier of Claremont
Rockingham -  Deb Crapo of Rye    GEPHARDT
 
 
Endorsements by Newspapers
Clark
Exeter News-Letter (01/16/04)
...Seacoast Newspapers - a subsidiary of Ottaway Newspapers, Inc., a Dow Jones Company.
Connecticut Valley Spectator (01/22/04)
...weekly, West Lebanon, NH.
Conway Daily Sun (01/23/04)
...Country Club News, Inc.
 

Dean
Keene Sentinel (01/18/04)
The principal publication of The Keene Publishing Corporation; founded in 1799.
Salmon Press newspapers (01/21/04):Berlin Reporter - Granite State News (Wolfeboro) - Littleton Courier - Telegram (Franklin) - Coos County Democrat (Lancaster) - Carroll County Independent (Ossippee) - Record Enterprise (Plymouth) - Meredith News

Edwards
Berlin Reporter (01/21/04)
Circulation - "somewhere under 4,500"  ...Salmon Press.
The Dartmouth (01/26/04)

Kerry
Portsmouth Herald (01/23/04)
...Seacoast Newspapers - a subsidiary of Ottaway Newspapers Inc., a Dow Jones Company.
Concord Monitor (01/18/04)
Nashua Telegraph (01/18/04)
Circulation - about 27,000 daily and 32,000 on Sunday ...Independent Publications Inc. of Bryn Mawr, PA.
Valley News (01/22/04)
West Lebanon.  Seven-day daily.  Circulation 17,000.
The Cabinet Press (01/22/04); four New Hampshire weekly papers - the Milford Cabinet, the Bedford Journal, the Hollis Brookline Journal, and the Merrimack Journal
Combined circulation of 35,000.
Boston Globe (01/22/04)
Boston Herald (01/21/04)
Boston Phoenix (issue date: January 23-29, 2004)

Lieberman
Union Leader (01/20/04)
Manchester.  New Hampshire's largest paper.  Circulation - Daily 62,000, Sunday 85,000.
Foster's Daily Democrat (01/23/04) and Laconia Citizen (01/23/04)
Eagle-Tribune (01/18/04)
Lawrence, MA.


Do Endorsements Matter?
Whether or not endorsements make any difference on Primary Night is debatable, but they are important in the pre-primary period when developing campaigns strive to build credibility.  Campaigns go to considerable effort to round up endorsements.  The first targets are prominent party leaders including elected officials, former officials, erstwhile candidates, and party activists.  New Hampshire, with a 400-member House of Representatives (the fourth largest legislative body in the English-speaking world), presents a wealth of opportunities. In addition, campaigns seek support of community activists and business and civic leaders; Democratic candidates also woo labor support. Finally, newspaper endorsements are highly prized.

The timing and format of endorsement announcements can be significant.  A mass endorsement, with elected officials lined up behind the candidate, can draw significant attention.  Alternatively, rolling out a steady stream of endorsements over a period of time can bolster the impression of a growing campaign.  Picking up a prominent supporter who had formerly been with another campaign is regarded as a coup, worthy of a press release or press conference.

Those that have endorsements trumpet them; those that don't argue that endorsements really don't matter and that anyhow they are pursuing a grassroots strategy.  Texas Gov. George W. Bush, receiving the endorsements of a majority of Iowa's Republican state legislators on September 1, 1999, stated, "These legislators bring credibility, on-the-ground leadership and support to my campaign..."  Almost by definition "establishment candidates" are able to rack up endorsements from large numbers of elected officials.  For others in the field, even a few elected official endorsements can help with credibility. 

An endorser may play an active role in the campaign, serving as a surrogate, appearing with the candidate, making calls and rallying up support, or he or she may do nothing more than allow his or her name to be listed on the campaign's leadership team or steering committee. 

The process of building support and endorsements among specific groups, such as farmers or educators, is known as coalitions, and is an area of the campaign unto itself. 

In sum, endorsements, like fundraising prowess and campaign organization, are an element that contributes to credibility.  Ultimately, however, voters' decisions are based on their views of a candidate's experience, ideas and values.




Democratic State Reps. By County
Belknap  0 of 18
 

Carroll  0 of 14
 

Cheshire  16 of 24
Dist. 24
Jack Pratt, Walpole 
Bob Batchelder, Marlow 
Dan Eaton, Stoddard
Dist. 25-Keene
Peter Espiefs 
David Meader 
Pamela Russell Slack 
Chuck Weed 
Timothy Robertson 
James T. Dunn
Dist. 26
Irene Pratt, Winchester 
Henry Parkhurst, Winchester 
Barbara Hull Richardson, Richmond 
McKim W. Mitchell, Chesterfield
Dist. 27
Peter Allen, Harrisville 
Anna Tilton, Marlborough 
Amy Webber, Dublin
 

Coos  3 of 11
Richard Poulin, Berlin
Robert Theberge, Berlin 
Edgar Mears, Berlin 

Merrimack 17 of 44
Dist. 33
Randy Perkins, Franklin
Dist. 34
Barbara French, Henniker 
Christine Hamm, Hopkinton 
Derek Owen, Hopkinton
Dist. 35
Claire Clarke, Boscawen
Dist. 36
Frank Davis, Pembroke 
Deanna Rush, Pembroke
Dist. 38 - Concord
Mary Stuart Gile 
Frances Potter
Dist. 39 - Concord
Candice W. Bouchard 
John DeJoie 
Tara Reardon
Gloria Seldin
Dist. 40 - Concord
Donald Brueggemann 
Jessie Osborne 
Mary Jan Wallner
Dist. 41
Stephen DeStefano, Bow

 
 

Grafton  11 of 26
Edward "Ned" Densmore, Bethlehem 
Mary R. Cooney, Plymouth 
Bernard L. Benn, Hanover 
Estelle Diamond, Hanover 
Sharon L. Nordgren, Hanover 
Hilda W. Sokol, Hanover 
Ruth Z. Bleyler, Lyme 
Nancy M. Scovner, Enfield 
Peter E. Solomon, Canaan 
Susan W. Almy, Lebanon
Lee M. Hammond, Lebanon 

 

Strafford  19 of 37
Dist. 67
Roger Berube, Somersworth
Frank Callaghan, Rochester
Irene T. Creteau, Rochester
Anne Grassie, Rochester
Richard Heon, Somersworth
Deanna Rollo, Rollinsford
Clair Snyder, Somersworth
Dist. 68
Nancy Johnson, Milton
Dist. 70 - Dover Wds 1-2 
Peter Schmidt 
Kathy L. Taylor
Katie L. Taylor
Dist. 71 - Dover Wds 3-4 
Arthur Pelletier
Dist. 69 - Dover Wds 5-6 
Roland Hofemann
Dist. 72
Naida Kaen, Lee
Joseph Miller, Durham
Emma Rous, Durham
Marjorie Smith, Durham
Judith Spang, Durham
Janet Wall, Madbury
Hillsborough
- Manchester  15 of 35
Chris Pappas 
James Craig 
Paul Brassard 
Bill Clayton 
Peter Sullivan 
"Tommy" Katsiantonis 
Lionel Johnson 
Alice Wallace 
Eric Palangas 
Frank Sullivan 
Ben Baroody 
Robert Haley 
Raymond Buckley - House Dem. Whip
Maurice Pilotte 
Barbara Shaw 
- Nashua  13 of 27
Dist. 60
Lori Movsesian
Dist. 62
Mary Gorman 
David Cote 
Jane Clemons 
Debra Kudalis 
Cynthia Sweeney 
Roland Lefebvre
Dist. 63 
Nancy Kopka
Dist. 65
Peter Cote 
Claudette Jean 
Bette Lasky 
Chris Konys - Deputy Whip 
Joan Schulze 
- Other Hillsborough Co.
Chris Malloy, Pelham
Anne-Marie Irwin, Peterborough 

 

Sullivan  9 of 13
Dist. 19 [1 of 2]
Peter H. Burling, Cornish - Minority Leader
Dist. 20 [1 of 2]
Peter E. Franklin, Newport
Dist. 22 [5 of 5] - 
David C. Allison, Cornish
John R. Cloutier, Claremont 
Thomas E. Donovan, Claremont 
Joseph D. Harris, Claremont 
Sandra C. Harris, Claremont
Dist. 23 [2 of 2] 
Brenda L. Ferland, Charlestown
James G. Phinizy
 
 

Rockingham  12 of 87
Dist. 79
Corey Corbin of Sandown1
Dist. 80
Matt Vallone of Epping
Dist. 81
Kim Casey of East Kingston
Dist. 82
Betsy Coes of Newfields 
Bob Davidson of Newmarket
Dist. 86 (7 of 7) - Portsmouth 
Mary Ann Blanchard 
Paul McEachern 
Terie Norelli 
Linda Pantelakos 
Jackie Pitts 
Betsy Shultis 
Jim Splaine

1. Corbin switched from Republican to Democratic in late May 2003.


Starting in December 2003, look for newspapers to start making endorsements. 
Here's how they went in the 2000 New Hampshire primary:
 
N E W S P A P E R S
Union Leader (Manchester, paid circ. daily 63,438, Sun. 85,414) -- Forbes 12/3/99
The Telegraph (Nashua, paid circ. 28,061, Sun. 33,898) -- Bradley, McCain 1/23/00 
Foster's Daily Democrat (Dover, paid circ. daily 25,027, Sun. 30,417) -- Bush 1/13/00, Bradley 1/25/00
Concord Monitor (paid circ. daily 21,310, Sun. 23,150) -- McCain 1/23/00, Gore 1/24/00
The Valley News (Lebanon/Hanover, paid circ. daily 17,618, Sun. 17,519) -- Bradley 1/23/00, McCain 1/24/00
The Keene Sentinel (paid circ. daily 14,590, Sun. 13,521) -- McCain 1/25/00, Gore 1/26/00
Portsmouth Herald (paid circ. daily 14,389, Sun. 19,476) -- McCain 1/11/00, Gore 1/14/00 also, under the same ownership, the Hampton Union and the News-Letter (Exeter)
The Citizen (Laconia, paid circ. daily 9,848, Sun. 30,417) -- owned by Foster's and same endorsements (Bush 1/13/00, Bradley 1/25/00)
Eagle-Times (Claremont, paid circ. daily 8,263, Sun. 9,308) -- McCain 1/20/00 
The Berlin Reporter (paid circ. Mon.-Sat. around 5,000) -- Bradley, McCain 1/23/00
The Conway Daily Sun (Mount Washington Valley, free Mon.-Sat, circ. 15,000) -- Bradley, McCain 1/31/00
The Caledonian-Record (Northeast Vermont and the North Country of NH) -- Bradley

weeklies
Derry News (published Tues. and Fri. paid circ. just over 10,000) -- Bradley, McCain 1/28/00
The Mountain Ear (Conway, published Thurs., 12,000 issues) -- McCain 1/27/00
Rochester & Dover Times, Granite State News, Carroll County Independent, Meredith News, Plymouth Record Enterprise -- Bradley, McCain 1/12/00
Littleton Courier -- Bradley, McCain
Weirs Times (Lake Winnipesaukee, weekly, 30,000 issues) -- Forbes 10/7/99

and some Massachusetts papers
Boston Globe -- McCain 1/16/00, Gore 1/16/00
Boston Herald -- Bradley 1/27/00, McCain 1/28/00
The Eagle-Tribune (Lawrence, MA; circ. in NH of about 16,500) -- Bradley, Bush 1/23/00


 

Copyright © 2003, 2004 Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action.