New Hampshire Democratic Party

New Hampshire Democratic Party
Chairperson Raymond Buckley
Headquarters Concord, New Hampshire
Ideology Liberalism
Progressivism
Social liberalism
National affiliation Democratic Party
Colors Blue
Seats in the Upper House
10 / 24
Seats in the Lower House
160 / 400
Website
www.nhdp.org

The New Hampshire Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the state of New Hampshire. The chair is Raymond Buckley. The vice chairs are Martha Fuller Clark and Dorothy Solomon. The current governor is Maggie Hassan who was elected in 2012.

The only President from New Hampshire was a Democrat, Franklin Pierce who served from 1853-1857.

The New Hampshire Democratic Party has played a pivotal role in the election process for the President of the United States, with New Hampshire holding the first primary in the nation. Local Democrats in New Hampshire have huge power in determining the outcomes of elections.

Current elected officials

The New Hampshire Democratic Party holds the governor's office, one of the state's U.S. Senate seats, and both of the state's seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Democrats hold a majority in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, and are in the minority in the New Hampshire Senate.

Member of Congress

U.S. Senate

Jeanne Shaheen is the first woman in United States history to be elected to both a governorship and a US senator. She served for three terms as New Hampshire's governor between 1997-2003. In 2008 she became the first woman elected to the US Senate from New Hampshire. In the senate she chairs the Committee on Foreign Relation's Subcommittee on European Affairs as well as the Energy and Natural Resources Committee's Subcommittee on Water and Power.[1]

U.S. House of Representatives

Ann McLane Kuster was elected to the 2nd District in November 2012.

Statewide office

Maggie Hassan was first elected to the governorship of New Hampshire in 2012.

Legislative

2010 party platform

The New Hampshire Democratic Party platform is a pledge of support for building a stronger New Hampshire. It consists of four key areas of interest. These include building a stronger economy, supporting New Hampshire's families, strengthening the community, and providing an honest government.[2]

New Hampshire primary

New Hampshire holds the first primary in the nation to kick off an election cycle every four years. This is a part of the long process in choosing nominations for both the Democratic and Republican parties. New Hampshire plays a key role in choosing nominees due to the massive amounts of media attention it gets. Being first involves having a huge impact on the process as a whole by setting the bar for latter states.

New Hampshire has been a bellwether for politicians seeking election. A weak showing in New Hampshire has caused office seekers to drop out of the race early. In 1952 and in 1968 Harry Truman and Lyndon Johnson both drop their reelection campaigns after poor showings in the New Hampshire primary.[3]

New Hampshire started holding a primary in 1916 and has held the First in the Nation primary since 1920. At first voters could only vote on delegates to send the party national conventions. It was Richard F. Upton, speaker of the New Hampshire House of Representatives, who amended the law to allow for direct vote of presidential candidates. In 1952 New Hampshire voters started voting for the candidates.[4]

This new law inspired the voters of New Hampshire to write in Dwight D. Eisenhower name as a candidate for the 1952 Republican New Hampshire primary ballot. Eisenhower was able to beat Republican Party leader Robert A. Taft without Eisenhower even going to the state. He would go on to win the nomination and become President.[5]

Presidential primary winners

Hillary Clinton after winning the 2008 New Hampshire Primary

Past elected officials

Governor

In chronological order:

U.S. Senate

In chronological order:

U.S. House

In chronological order:

See also

References

  1. ↑ Jeanne Shaheen, Senator for New Hampshire
  2. ↑ New Hampshire Democratic Party, http://nhdp.org/
  3. ↑ Primary Politics: How Presidential Candidates Have Shaped the Modern Nominating System, Elaine C. Kamarck
  4. ↑ Primary Politics: How Presidential Candidates Have Shaped the Modern Nominating System, Elaine C. Kamarck
  5. ↑ Elaine C. Kamarck, Primary Politics: How Presidential Candidates Have Shaped the Modern Nominating System
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