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, which will be delivered to your inbox on Thursday at 6 a.m., click here.>> Download the free WMUR appDISPUTE OVER NOMINEE. Partisan battles at the Executive Council meetings are becoming more frequent these days as the campaign season progresses into the summer.First, it was the rejection by the council’s Democratic majority of Attorney General Gordon MacDonald for state Supreme Court chief justice. Then, a few weeks, ago, there was a tug of war over how transparent Gov. Chris Sununu has been in doling out federal COVID-19 relief funds.On Wednesday, the latest war of words between Sununu and the three Democrats on the five-member council – and in particular, candidate for governor Andru Volinsky – focused on a young conservative African-American, Ryan Terrell, who was the governor’s latest nominee to the state Board of Education.The council refused to confirm Terrell’s nomination to the board on a 3-2 party line vote.Terrell, a specialist in digital systems, is a 2014 graduate of Southern New Hampshire University through the College Unbound program and grew up in New Orleans. His letter of interest in the post, describing his background, is here. He says he’s been in New Hampshire about 12 years.Sununu, by the way, nominated Terrell to the board on May 20, several days before George Floyd’s death and the resulting Black Lives Matter protests. The governor’s supporters say that’s important to keep in mind in view of the accusations coming his way that the nomination was in some way a response to the recent unrest.Terrell told WMUR after the vote, “It really disheartened me, and I’m worried it’s going to dishearten other people that may want to serve the state of New Hampshire.”Volinsky told Sununu during the council meeting that, meeting with Terrell ahead of the confirmation vote, he found that Terrell “has absolutely no qualifications for the job” and while living in four communities in New Hampshire, “never sought to participate in any school functions, never been on a school board, or part of the PTA.”“When I asked him about his understanding of important complex education issues, he said he was completely without understanding of those topics,” Volinsky said.“This is an exceedingly inappropriate and demeaning appointment to a very important board,” Volinsky said.Sununu countered that Terrell was “absolutely brilliant,” adding that the state board needs a focus on “efficiency and systems,” and he said that a person of color would bring diversity to the board.Sununu said he was “shocked” by the opposition. He said the vote should have been 5-0 to confirm Terrell.Volinsky then ratcheted up the debate, accusing Sununu of engaging in “tokenism.”“I won’t engage in the tokenism that you’re willing to engage in,” were Volinsky’s exact words. “This process works better if you collaborate with us. We need to stop nominating unqualified people.”After the vote, Sununu’s office and state Republican Party blasted Volinsky and Councilors Debora Pignatelli and Michael Cryans.The governor’s spokesperson said Volinsky’s description of the Terrell nomination as “demeaning” and a case of “tokenism” was “an affront to anyone looking to give back to their community and utterly inappropriate.”State Republican Chair Steve Stepanek called the three councilors’ votes “disgraceful” and said Volinsky’s comments were “disgusting.”State Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut said “some councilors” had put politics ahead of “making sure we give voice to all of our New Hampshire students on the state Board of Education.” And state board chair Andrew Cline said Volinsky “personally belittled” Terrell and effectively told him to “get in the back of the line, just for volunteering to serve his state.”State Democratic Party Chair Raymond Buckley responded on Twitter that Edelblut and Cline’s criticisms were “funny coming from two that should have never been given their posts, either. Elections have consequences. Democrats want qualified people making education decisions, Republicans want right wing political activists.” “To hear that I was considered to be, that it was demeaning to be nominated for the position, it really takes the wind out of your sails,” Terrell said. “They’re not looking at the full spectrum of who I am. They’re looking at very particular sections I’m lacking to be able to serve on the board, but they’re not acknowledging the other diverse experiences of skill set and diversity of experience that I have to bring to the board.”Whether racism was involved in me not being appointed, I can’t speak to that,” said Terrell. “But I do know it’s turned away from a nature of qualifying to perform on the state board, to a conversation about race.””This is not about race,” Volinsky said. “This is about qualifications and how you manage a public education system in the face of a governor and a commissioner intent on destroying it.”Republican sources cited a bill passed by House Democrats earlier this year to add two non-voting high school students to the state board, which they said was inconsistent with the complaint about Terrell that a person in his late 20s is too inexperienced to serve on the board.Democratic sources said Terrell has toed the GOP line. They pointed out that on a recent radio show posted on Facebook by the Nashua Republican committee, Terrell agreed with former House Speaker Bill O’Brien that Democrats “switched over to racial pandering from slavery and segregation because they couldn’t keep blacks on the cotton plantation anymore. So, now they’re putting them on the welfare plantation.”They also pointed out that Terrell agreed when O’Brien said that Antifa was the “shock troops” of the Democratic Party. Democrats also noted that Terrell worked on the Manchester mayoral campaign of Republican Executive Councilor Ted Gatsas back in 2013.Volinsky’s Democratic gubernatorial primary opponent, state Senate Majority Leader Dan Feltes, criticized both Sununu and Volinsky.In a statement from his campaign shared first with New Hampshire Primary Source, Feltes said, “It’s unacceptable to nominate partisan, unqualified candidates, and the language used in opposition was also unacceptable.”FREEDOM AND LIBERTY PAC. Republican Bryant “Corky” Messner makes no secret of his own deep pockets to self-fund his U.S. Senate campaign, but now he will have help – uncoordinated help – from a new 527 super PAC set up by several nationally-known strategists. Click here.BOLDUC CAMP: GENUINE NH. WMUR’s report this week that U.S. Senate candidate Bryant “Corky” Messner signed paperwork setting up a Colorado-based nonprofit to explore a campaign in New Hampshire has prompted a pointed response from his primary opponent’s camp. Click here.FORMER FOES BACK LYNNE. Two years ago, they were campaigning against each other for the 2nd District U.S. House seat. Now, two years later, Republicans Stewart Levenson and Bob Burns are endorsing Lynne Blankenbeker over Steve Negron for the same. Click here. Click here.ECU-LAV ENDORSEMENTS. Eight Democratic candidates for state offices in New Hampshire, including gubernatorial hopeful Dan Feltes, have been endorsed by End Citizens United and Let America Vote, which merged their operations earlier this year to promote campaign finance reform and broader voting rights. Click here.SEE WHO’S FILING. Through Wednesday, many of the major candidates for office had filed their paperwork to get on the ballot, while several more are planning to wait until Friday, the final day. Click here.SESSION ON TAP. With the New Hampshire House meeting for the first time in two months on Thursday at the Whittemore Center on the UNH campus, there has been no movement between the Democratic and Republican leaderships to end a stalemate that could end the session relatively quickly. Click here.ABOUT THOSE TWEETS. The state Democratic Party says it’s going to “help” Gov. Chris Sununu keep track and stay aware of President Donald Trump’s tweets. Click here.MESSMER ENDORSEMENTS. After filing for the District 3 Executive Council seat Wednesday, Democrat Mindi Messmer was endorsed by the Teamsters Local 633. Earlier, she was backed by New Hampshire Democratic Party Latino Caucus Chair Alejandro Urrutia. Click here.NEA-NH ENDORSEMENT. NEA-New Hampshire endorsed UNH School of Law professor Leah Plunkett for the District 2 Executive Council seat, citing her experience as an educator. Click here.THANKS, ANNIE. Candidates in party primaries just love when the opposition party focus on them instead of their opponents. Click here.MOWERS’ VIDEO. Republican 1st District U.S. House candidate Matt Mowers on Thursday is releasing his first campaign video, titled “New Generation.” Click here.ELECTION REPORT ISSUED. Secretary of State Bill Gardner on Wednesday set out his plans for the use of $3.2 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds to ensure safe and accessible elections amid the pandemic. Click here.
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, which will be delivered to your inbox on Thursday at 6 a.m., click here.
DISPUTE OVER NOMINEE. Partisan battles at the Executive Council meetings are becoming more frequent these days as the campaign season progresses into the summer.
First, it was the rejection by the council’s Democratic majority of Attorney General Gordon MacDonald for state Supreme Court chief justice. Then, a few weeks, ago, there was a tug of war over how transparent Gov. Chris Sununu has been in doling out federal COVID-19 relief funds.
On Wednesday, the latest war of words between Sununu and the three Democrats on the five-member council – and in particular, candidate for governor Andru Volinsky – focused on a young conservative African-American, Ryan Terrell, who was the governor’s latest nominee to the state Board of Education.
The council refused to confirm Terrell’s nomination to the board on a 3-2 party line vote.
Terrell, a specialist in digital systems, is a 2014 graduate of Southern New Hampshire University through the College Unbound program and grew up in New Orleans. His letter of interest in the post, describing his background, is here. He says he’s been in New Hampshire about 12 years.
Sununu, by the way, nominated Terrell to the board on May 20, several days before George Floyd’s death and the resulting Black Lives Matter protests. The governor’s supporters say that’s important to keep in mind in view of the accusations coming his way that the nomination was in some way a response to the recent unrest.
Terrell told WMUR after the vote, “It really disheartened me, and I’m worried it’s going to dishearten other people that may want to serve the state of New Hampshire.”
Volinsky told Sununu during the council meeting that, meeting with Terrell ahead of the confirmation vote, he found that Terrell “has absolutely no qualifications for the job” and while living in four communities in New Hampshire, “never sought to participate in any school functions, never been on a school board, or part of the PTA.”
“When I asked him about his understanding of important complex education issues, he said he was completely without understanding of those topics,” Volinsky said.
“This is an exceedingly inappropriate and demeaning appointment to a very important board,” Volinsky said.
Sununu countered that Terrell was “absolutely brilliant,” adding that the state board needs a focus on “efficiency and systems,” and he said that a person of color would bring diversity to the board.
Sununu said he was “shocked” by the opposition. He said the vote should have been 5-0 to confirm Terrell.
Volinsky then ratcheted up the debate, accusing Sununu of engaging in “tokenism.”
“I won’t engage in the tokenism that you’re willing to engage in,” were Volinsky’s exact words. “This process works better if you collaborate with us. We need to stop nominating unqualified people.”
After the vote, Sununu’s office and state Republican Party blasted Volinsky and Councilors Debora Pignatelli and Michael Cryans.
The governor’s spokesperson said Volinsky’s description of the Terrell nomination as “demeaning” and a case of “tokenism” was “an affront to anyone looking to give back to their community and utterly inappropriate.”
State Republican Chair Steve Stepanek called the three councilors’ votes “disgraceful” and said Volinsky’s comments were “disgusting.”
State Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut said “some councilors” had put politics ahead of “making sure we give voice to all of our New Hampshire students on the state Board of Education.” And state board chair Andrew Cline said Volinsky “personally belittled” Terrell and effectively told him to “get in the back of the line, just for volunteering to serve his state.”
State Democratic Party Chair Raymond Buckley responded on Twitter that Edelblut and Cline’s criticisms were “funny coming from two that should have never been given their posts, either. Elections have consequences. Democrats want qualified people making education decisions, Republicans want right wing political activists.”
“To hear that I was considered to be, that it was demeaning to be nominated for the position, it really takes the wind out of your sails,” Terrell said. “They’re not looking at the full spectrum of who I am. They’re looking at very particular sections I’m lacking to be able to serve on the board, but they’re not acknowledging the other diverse experiences of skill set and diversity of experience that I have to bring to the board.
“Whether racism was involved in me not being appointed, I can’t speak to that,” said Terrell. “But I do know it’s turned away from a nature of qualifying to perform on the state board, to a conversation about race.”
“This is not about race,” Volinsky said. “This is about qualifications and how you manage a public education system in the face of a governor and a commissioner intent on destroying it.”
Republican sources cited a bill passed by House Democrats earlier this year to add two non-voting high school students to the state board, which they said was inconsistent with the complaint about Terrell that a person in his late 20s is too inexperienced to serve on the board.
Democratic sources said Terrell has toed the GOP line. They pointed out that on a recent radio show posted on Facebook by the Nashua Republican committee, Terrell agreed with former House Speaker Bill O’Brien that Democrats “switched over to racial pandering from slavery and segregation because they couldn’t keep blacks on the cotton plantation anymore. So, now they’re putting them on the welfare plantation.”
They also pointed out that Terrell agreed when O’Brien said that Antifa was the “shock troops” of the Democratic Party. Democrats also noted that Terrell worked on the Manchester mayoral campaign of Republican Executive Councilor Ted Gatsas back in 2013.
Volinsky’s Democratic gubernatorial primary opponent, state Senate Majority Leader Dan Feltes, criticized both Sununu and Volinsky.
In a statement from his campaign shared first with New Hampshire Primary Source, Feltes said, “It’s unacceptable to nominate partisan, unqualified candidates, and the language used in opposition was also unacceptable.”
FREEDOM AND LIBERTY PAC. Republican Bryant “Corky” Messner makes no secret of his own deep pockets to self-fund his U.S. Senate campaign, but now he will have help – uncoordinated help – from a new 527 super PAC set up by several nationally-known strategists. Click here.
BOLDUC CAMP: GENUINE NH. WMUR’s report this week that U.S. Senate candidate Bryant “Corky” Messner signed paperwork setting up a Colorado-based nonprofit to explore a campaign in New Hampshire has prompted a pointed response from his primary opponent’s camp. Click here.
FORMER FOES BACK LYNNE. Two years ago, they were campaigning against each other for the 2nd District U.S. House seat. Now, two years later, Republicans Stewart Levenson and Bob Burns are endorsing Lynne Blankenbeker over Steve Negron for the same. Click here. Click here.
ECU-LAV ENDORSEMENTS. Eight Democratic candidates for state offices in New Hampshire, including gubernatorial hopeful Dan Feltes, have been endorsed by End Citizens United and Let America Vote, which merged their operations earlier this year to promote campaign finance reform and broader voting rights. Click here.
SEE WHO’S FILING. Through Wednesday, many of the major candidates for office had filed their paperwork to get on the ballot, while several more are planning to wait until Friday, the final day. Click here.
SESSION ON TAP. With the New Hampshire House meeting for the first time in two months on Thursday at the Whittemore Center on the UNH campus, there has been no movement between the Democratic and Republican leaderships to end a stalemate that could end the session relatively quickly. Click here.
ABOUT THOSE TWEETS. The state Democratic Party says it’s going to “help” Gov. Chris Sununu keep track and stay aware of President Donald Trump’s tweets. Click here.
MESSMER ENDORSEMENTS. After filing for the District 3 Executive Council seat Wednesday, Democrat Mindi Messmer was endorsed by the Teamsters Local 633. Earlier, she was backed by New Hampshire Democratic Party Latino Caucus Chair Alejandro Urrutia. Click here.
NEA-NH ENDORSEMENT. NEA-New Hampshire endorsed UNH School of Law professor Leah Plunkett for the District 2 Executive Council seat, citing her experience as an educator. Click here.
THANKS, ANNIE. Candidates in party primaries just love when the opposition party focus on them instead of their opponents. Click here.
MOWERS’ VIDEO. Republican 1st District U.S. House candidate Matt Mowers on Thursday is releasing his first campaign video, titled “New Generation.” Click here.
ELECTION REPORT ISSUED. Secretary of State Bill Gardner on Wednesday set out his plans for the use of $3.2 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds to ensure safe and accessible elections amid the pandemic. Click here.
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