NH Primary Source: Pence expected to stress economy, continued commitment to opioid fight in NH
Vice President to head to State House on Thursday to file Trump’s name for primary ballot
Vice President to head to State House on Thursday to file Trump’s name for primary ballot
New Hampshire Primary Source gives you breaking and behind-the-scenes news and analysis on all things political in the Granite State. John DiStaso is the most experienced political writer in the state and has been writing a weekly column since 1982. He is a recipient of a 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the New Hampshire Press Association. To sign up for WMUR's weekly New Hampshire Primary Source and political email newsletter, click here.
TALKING UP TRUMP. When Vice President Mike Pence comes to New Hampshire today to file President Donald Trump’s candidacy in the 2020 first-in-the-nation primary, he will talk up the economy, commit to redoubling efforts to fight the opioid crisis and stress Trump’s commitment to winning the Granite State in the general election next November.
That’s according to Windham’s Corey Lewandowski, a senior advisor to the Trump 2020 campaign, who will lead a group of local Trump supporters accompanying Pence at the State House.
Lewandowski, in an interview Wednesday, said he’ll be at Pence’s side when the vice president files Trump’s name for the ballot, along with state campaign co-chairs state Reps. Fred Doucette and Al Baldasaro, as well as businessman Lou Gargiulo and New Hampshire Republican Party Chair Steve Stepanek.
Trump Victory – a combined organization of the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee – has had been working on the ground in the Granite State since early this year.
Lewandowski said it will continue to grow while the Democrats’ decide their first-in-the-nation winner and their presidential nominee over the coming months.
“The Trump team will have a full effort in the state of New Hampshire,” Lewandowski said. “It will be substantially larger than the effort we had in 2016. We barely lost the state in 2016 and definitely see a pickup opportunity here in 2020.”
After filing, Pence will head to Manchester to speak at a Politics and Eggs event at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics.
DUPREY TO SEEK REELECTION. Steve Duprey has been involved in the New Hampshire Republican Party for virtually his entire adult life, and he is hoping that involvement continues. Click here.
SANDERS ‘FIGHTS FOR US’ AD LAUNCHES. Sen. Bernie Sanders has been leading the Democratic presidential pack in fundraising and now, in New Hampshire, he’s about to spend big money. Click here.
BIG ENDORSEMENT. In a significant move Thursday, New Hampshire House Speaker Steve Shurtleff is taking sides in the 2020 Democratic gubernatorial primary, endorsing state Senate Majority Leader Dan Feltes. Click here.
KANTERES LEADS BACKERS. Just before Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet filed to be on the ballot for the New Hampshire primary, his campaign released a list of supporters, including several prominent activists. Click here.
KLOBUCHAR ENDORSEMENTS. Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar this week picked up some key endorsements in her bid for a strong showing in the New Hampshire primary. Click here.
CUSHING TO RECEIVE MAJOR AWARD. Veteran state Rep. Renny Cushing of Hampton, the state’s leading advocate for the successful repeal of the death penalty earlier this year, is being honored for his efforts by a leading criminal justice reform nonprofit. Click here.
DEMS LINE UP FOR COUNCIL SEAT. Several Democrats have announced filed their candidacies for the District 2 Executive Council seat being now held by candidate for governor Andru Volinsky. Click here.
BUSY SCHEDULE. The day after Vice President Mike Pence files President Donald Trump’s name for the first-in-the-nation primary ballot, former VP Joe Biden will be in the state, accompanied by the former second lady, Dr. Jill Biden. Click here.
VETERANS PLAN. Democratic presidential hopeful Elizabeth Warren promises to raise veterans pay and keep it at or above the national employment cost index if she is elected president. Click here.
TOUTING BIG DAY. State Democratic Party Raymond Buckley has released a memo detailing his view that Tuesday’s elections were a strong showing for his party. Click here.
NEW RADIO SPOT. Republican 2nd Congressional District candidate Steve Negron is launching a radio ad and online petition Thursday calling for an end to the Democratic impeachment inquiry and criticizing incumbent U.S. Rep. Ann Kuster. Click here.
(John DiStaso can be reached at jdistaso@hearst.com or distasoj@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jdistaso and on Facebook: Facebook.com/JohnDiStasoWMUR.)