NASHUA, NH – Democratic congressional members, Democratic candidates, and party leaders gathered in a Nashua backyard Sunday to begin the home stretch to the general election campaign. Coming on the heels of last Tuesday’s state primary and a party unity breakfast Thursday, this event was a canvass launch for the Harris-Walz campaign and the down-ballot ticket.
More than 100 activists, supporters, and city and state elected officials gathered for the speeches and to spend the afternoon knocking on doors for the party. The event was hosted by State Rep. Laura Telerski (Hillsborough-11) the Chair of the House Democratic Victory Campaign Committee.
“I am happy to host this unity canvas kick-off so that we all can come together and get together behind all the Democrats on the ballot, top to bottom, and make sure we all win November,” said Telerski.
The lineup of speakers included U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan, U.S. Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), Gubernatorial Nominee and former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig, 2nd Congressional District Nominee Maggie Goodlander, Former State Senator and Current Candidate for Executive Council Melanie Levesque, State Rep. Ben Ming (Hillsborough-35), District 12 state Senate candidate and NHDP Party Chairman Ray Buckley.
The theme that ran through all of their talks was the stark contrast between Harris-Walz and Trump-Vance, the difference in the Democratic vision for the future, the protection of freedoms, and the threat the Project 2025 agenda poses for Americans in general and Granite Staters specifically.
The other theme that was stressed was the importance of doing the work of campaigning, and the necessity of door-knocking and making phone calls.
“New Hampshire House Democrats lost the majority in 2022 by just three seats and 11 votes. That was 11 voters that no one got to, and talked to, and convinced them that the Democratic party was the way to go govern here in the state of NH,” stressed Telerski.
Hassan referred to healthcare and fair elections.
“Project 2025 is clear and Donald Trump is clear … they would repeal the Affordable Care Act, taking away protections for people with preexisting conditions. We know what’s really at stake here … We know how important it is to elect Vice President Harris and Tim Walz,” said Hassan. “We also know that Kamala and Tim believe in free and fair elections and will work to protect them.”
Pappas described the status of the House of Representatives.
“Right now we have an extreme MAGA majority that has brought us nothing but chaos and obstructionism … They continue to put amendments on each and every bill that would restrict women’s access to reproductive care, to threaten the LGBTQ community and even to ban books. It is time to turn the page. We cannot allow Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans that control the House of Representatives right now to fully implement Project 2025,” Pappas said.
Goodlander continued with the theme of her primary victory, saying, “The stakes of this election couldn’t be higher … Freedom, fairness and our democracy itself are all on the ballot this fall. My opponent wants to see the elimination of the Department of Education, which is one of the tenets of [Trump’s] Project 2025.”
NHPD Chair Buckley cut to the chase with his remarks, saying, “There is so much to talk about, whether it’s [ Project 2025 or any of the anti-choice records. From Kelly Ayotte to Russell Prescott to Lily Tang Williams, there’s so much that we can say about why we need to beat them … but I also think that as Democrats we actually are inspired by hope and aspiration.”
