NHJournal has invited all of the candidates in the First Congressional District Democratic primary to make their “final pitch” for your votes. We’ve also asked all of them to answer the same three questions to shed a little light on their character and, perhaps, have a little fun. You’ll find the questions, and Paul’s answers, below.

Please check back regularly at NHJournal.com, or follow us on Twitter– @NewHampJournal– for more “final pitches” from the candidates as Primary Day approaches.

Paul Cardinal, Democratic candidate for Congress:

I’m asking for your vote this fall as a concerned, working-class citizen. For too long we’ve had the same candidates thrust in front of us over and over. Each election cycle we make another difficult choice of a candidate we have little in common with, who has their pockets lined with donations from corporations, political PAC’s, and the wealthy.

For too long I’ve sat on the sidelines and watched the same candidates seek office, and earn it. It’s time for New Hampshire to elect someone actually representative of the community voting in the election. I’m Paul Cardinal, and I am that candidate.

I was born and raised in the Granite State. I attended our public schools, went to college in Manchester, and live and work in Merrimack. It’s my job, today, to travel the state talking to school districts about how to improve efficiency and curriculum delivery. I spend every day with students, teachers, educational leaders, superintendents, and local leaders finding ways to improve our educational system and hearing about the problems and ideas our leaders in this area have.

I’m married to a small business owner in state and we have a six-month-old son at home, our first. I want to make sure my child and yours has access to clean drinking water, a planet we’ve protected, schools that innovate to provide the best outcomes, and more. I want every NH citizen to know working a full-time job is enough to support yourself and your family, or to live in your own home. I want us to protect and expand programs that our society embraces; Social Security, Medicare, Public Transportation, Environmental Protection, Police and Fire Departments, Schools, Infrastructure improvements, and more.

You can trust my interests will align with your own, because I’m just like you. A concerned citizen looking to take the first step to return our government to what it was meant to be. A government for the people, by the people. A government we can be proud of instead of frustrated by or fearful of. A government beholden to its citizens, not its donors.

I encourage you to learn as much as you can about the candidate in this race and try to determine if you think they have the same frustrations and aspirations we all do, or if they’re simply looking for another step in their political career, on the backs of the working-class voters.

It’s time we realize nothing will change unless we change who we’re sending to Washington. It’s not the message, it’s the messengers. Let’s start making that change today and elect one of our own.