NH House special election to act as a performance review for GOP
On Tuesday, May 17, New Hampshire will hold its first special election of 2011 to fill the open House seat formerly held by Republican Bob Mead in Hillsborough County District 4. Mead recently left his elected post to accept a job as House Chief of Staff. District 4 includes the towns of New Boston, Mont Vernon, Temple, Wilton and Lyndeborough.
Democratic nominee Jennifer Daler is a former State Rep. who served one term (2007-08). She faces Republican Peter Kucmas, a Czech-born immigrant whose family moved to the United States to escape the Communist-controlled Soviet Union.
Insiders are viewing this race as the first public referendum on the new Republican-controlled state legislature, as well as a test of the NHGOP’s organizational ability heading in to the presidential primary season. It will be seen as a sign of weakness in terms of both ideology and ground game if the Republicans fail to keep this seat in their column.