By Keith Hanson
When a Democrat points a finger of accusation at an opponent, you can absolutely bank on one remarkably simple fact: that accusation is in actuality a twisted, projected confession. This tactic is used extensively by Democrats to accuse their opposition of doing exactly what they themselves have done to a much greater degree.
The leadership of the NHGOP, along with those who are beholden to it and who protect it as a means of ensuring their own political survival and relevance, have demonstrated that two can play that game.
Status quo NHGOP leadership has lifted play after play after play from the Democrat’s playbook and have used it to effectively tear the New Hampshire Republican party apart.
It is appalling to see how little respect and regard the NHGOP leadership has for its party members. This was on full display at the Saturday, January 23rd Zoom State Committee Annual Convention where points of order – and those with raised hands – were repeatedly ignored. Voice votes were deemed to have passed when the majority were clearly opposed. Those in control of the procedures refused to unmute members during votes. Robert’s Rules of Order were repeatedly violated. These were the tactics that sent an obvious and unmistakable message which was clearly conveyed to both participants and observers alike: “we are in control of this party and this process, and you will do what you are told.”
I find it incredibly ironic that Speaker O’Brien refers to the incumbent state party chair as, and I quote, “Successful.”
The NHGOP, under the leadership of Stephen Stepanek, failed to elect a single Republican to Washington, nor did they distribute funds to counties for local elections. That is Speaker O’Brien’s definition of “successful?”
In 2020, Stepanek managed to raise only 34% of his projected fundraising goal for the NHGOP, and that was in a presidential election year. More to the point, 84% of the funds taken in by the NHGOP were merely transferred from the RNC, while another 5% were funds donated from the city and county committees. That is Speaker O’Brien’s definition of “successful?”
While the incumbent chair campaigned on repeated promises of vigorous fundraising with the city and county committees earmarked as direct beneficiaries of the funds to be raised, the city and county committees were instead expected to donate money back to the state committee. In reality, funds were flowing in the opposite direction. This is not fundraising. This is, however, Speaker O’Brien’s definition of “successful.”
While the NHGOP was dutifully attempting to influence the outcome of federal races involving their preferred candidates, their lack of attention to state and local races permitted a transgendered Satanist running on a “F— the Police” agenda to win the Republican nomination for Sheriff in Cheshire County.
If this is Speaker O’Brien’s definition of success, he is not using the same dictionary that the rest of us are familiar with.
Speaker O’Brien has some very strange benchmarks when it comes to being deserving of re-election. But then again, his standards have historically been very low. After all, it was Speaker O’Brien who endorsed and nominated former NHGOP Chair Jennifer Horn, the rabidly outspoken never-Trumper who went on to co-found the Lincoln Project, vocally supported and then voted for Democrat Joe Biden, then abandoned and fled the Republican Party. Given this fact alone, why should we ever trust the advice of a man whose political judgment has been shown time and time again to be exceedingly poor, particularly when it comes to the leadership of our state party?
When it comes to that leadership; the leadership that will determine the future successes of the NHGOP, Republicans of New Hampshire deserve much better. That does not include re-electing the status quo.
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits.” Matthew 7:15-16 NKJV
Keith Hanson is a candidate for NHGOP Chairman and conservative talk radio show host from New Hampshire.
