The following op-ed appeared as part of "Granite State Debates" in the print version of today’s Union Leader:
I am the Republican nominee for state Senate in District 20, running against a 20-year incumbent, Lou D’Allesandro (80), the self-declared “Lion of the Senate,” who has seemingly unlimited funds from out-of-state special interests to send countless mailers to every door. This is a David against Goliath struggle. In 2016, when I first ran, I received 40% of the vote. This time, with your support, I can win.
When speaking to voters, I sadly hear: “I’m a lifelong Republican, but I vote for Lou.”
Why? My opponent usually votes Democratic party line, so he votes against your interests. He votes against your gun rights. He votes against free speech. He votes against a balanced budget. He votes for higher healthcare costs and higher taxes. He votes against Gov. Sununu’s priorities like school choice and lower energy costs. He is rated a “Constitutional Threat” by the NH Liberty Alliance and gets an “F” rating from the economic watchdog, Americans for Prosperity. His voting record does not reflect Republican values at all.
This past legislative session, D’Allesandro voted against his constituents on two commonsense Constitutional amendments that will appear on your Nov. 6 ballot, both which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.
Question 1 restores taxpayer standing, a 150-year-old New Hampshire tradition that was stripped away by the state Supreme Court in 2014.
“Yes on 1” means taxpayers can once again sue to hold our local government accountable to the people. D’Allesandro was one of only two senators who voted against this much needed taxpayer-friendly remedy. I urge you to vote for me, and to vote “Yes on 1.”
Question 2 protects your private and personal information from government snooping. D’Allesandro voted with Democratic senators against your right to privacy. If, like me, you are concerned about the growing surveillance state, you should vote “Yes on 2.”
This election is crucial to the future of our state. We cannot afford to continue to support “a nice guy” who has been stripping away our liberties for 20 years.
My opponent’s high-tax policies will result in a sales and income tax. If this happens, expect everything that makes New Hampshire exceptional to erode, and we will simply become a province of Massachusetts.
As a former lawyer for Silicon Valley high-tech companies, a nonprofit director, writer and volunteer with 25 years’ real-world experience, I have the skills, time, energy, and understanding of limited constitutional government to best represent you in Concord.
There is a lot of frustration in today’s political landscape. The stakes have become too high because government is too big, too involved in every aspect of our lives. President Reagan said: “Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem." I agree, and believe government that governs least, governs best.
My opponent should be judged not on his personality, but on his appalling 20-year voting record. If you are a lifelong Republican, why would you continue to support someone who works against Republican principles, and makes Gov. Sununu’s job harder?
[Carla Gericke is a former lawyer and writer who lives in West Manchester with her husband of 24 years. She is the Republican nominee for N.H. Senate in District 20, which includes Goffstown and Manchester Wards 3, 4, 10 and 11.]