DLCC Spotlight Candidate Hal Rafter won a crucial special election in New Hampshire’s Rockingham 1 House district (the towns of Northwood and Nottingham) tonight – flipping a critical seat for Democrats and putting the DLCC one seat closer to tying Republicans in the New Hampshire House with another special election just weeks away. The decisive win keeps the DLCC on the path to breaking one of the most notorious Republican trifectas in the country.
The 400-seat New Hampshire House is the largest state legislative chamber in the country and this win puts the seat count at 197 Democrats to 198 Republicans, just one seat away from a tie and two seats from an outright Democratic majority. The next special election is scheduled to take place on November 7th.
“Make no mistake about it, today’s victory in the New Hampshire House is a game-changer. We’re now one step closer to protecting reproductive rights and putting a stop to Republican extremism at the State House,” said interim DLCC President Heather Williams. “New Hampshire is a prime example of the importance of taking every opportunity to shift the balance of power and fight for improving the lives of all Granite Staters. Congratulations to Representative-elect Hal Rafter for flipping this critical seat and placing Democrats one seat away from breaking New Hampshire’s GOP trifecta.”
Rep-elect. Hal Rafter (HD-Rockingham 1) is a dedicated public servant with over 10 years of experience on his local Governing Board and School Board. His priorities in the legislature will include protecting abortion rights, investing in public education, and advancing climate change protections.
The DLCC is the official Democratic Party committee dedicated to winning America’s state legislatures. Last year, the DLCC defied the odds by not losing any state legislative majorities, flipping four key chambers, and creating four new Democratic trifectas – the best midterm year for the party in power since at least 1934. State legislatures are the building blocks of our democracy and pass the policies that have the biggest impact on Americans’ day-to-day lives.
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