Blue Eclipses Red New Hampshire

New Hampshire, once the lone electoral red island in a sea of blue, is well on its way to becoming lost forever, solidifying all of New England as a Democratic stronghold. This former battleground state and its four electoral votes are soon to be a gimme state for the Democrats, just as every other state north of the Mason-Dixon line. This wasn’t always so. Many factors contribute to this. One major reason being the influx and importation of Massachusetts yuppies and their ideologies. Another, which is the focus of this rant and can be traced right to the top, is the lack of Republican leadership. This cannot be overemphasized.
Until the party begins to rectify this problem and cleans house from top-down, they, not the Democrats, will be the target in our political iron sights. Yes, Fergus Cullen, I’m talking about YOU. Fergus Cullen, the NH Republican Party Chairman, has been a virtual unknown throughout the entire campaign season. I met Mr. Cullen during a lecture he gave at one of my political science classes a year ago. That’s the one and only time I’ve heard him speak. Young, intelligent, friendly, but suffered from the same disease as all other Republican leadership. No image. No recognition. No voice. Looking back, it is ironic that he spoke the same day as Billy Shaheen, husband of former NH Governor and now U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), who wiped the floor with incumbent U.S. Senator John Sununu (R-NH) this past Tuesday.
It was no surprise when Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) came out to defend Mr. Cullen after the Republicans lost multiple seats in the State House, both seats in the U.S. Congress, the one Senate seat, the Governorship, and the Presidency, that Senator Gregg received an outpouring of rage from his constituents. The same Senator Gregg, who, like everyone else in the Party (really tired of repeating myself) never even publicly defended or supported any Republican candidate during the whole election cycle to save his own skin for 2010. Meanwhile, he was down in Congress staunchly supporting that ridiculous bailout bill filled with massive amounts of pork. (See archives) One final note, two weeks before the election I saw the Republican “J-team” (Sen. John Sununu, Fmr. Congressmen Jeb Bradley, Gubertorial candidate John Kenney, and John McCain VP Pick Sarah Palin) speak in Laconia, NH. Well, needless to say, the “J-team” was sent packing last week. Another member of the “J-team” that will warm the bench in 2010? Judd Gregg. Don’t worry though. Another ‘J’ will fill the void. That’s current NH Governor John Lynch, who boosted 75% approval ratings coming into the election, and was re-elected for his third and final term by a landslide. His win, if he decides to pursue the Senate, will lock the Granite State in as the final piece to the blue puzzle that is the Northeast.