Democrat Senator Jeanne Shaheen is retiring at the end of her term next year and will not be running again. Democrat Congressman Chris Pappas announced in April that he was going to run for that Senate seat.
Which leaves his Congressional seat open.
Chris Bright, a veteran and businessman from Derry and Melissa Bailey, vice-chair of the Bedford Republican Committee and a former CPA have already announced their run for the Congressional open seat. Now a third contender has announced that he too, has his sights set on that seat.
Trump supporter and State Representative Brian Cole of Manchester, is the latest to announce. “Under President Trump’s leadership, America’s officially back. But if we want to keep it that way, we need allies in Washington who won’t fold under pressure, who will stand up and fight alongside him. NH needs a representative who puts family, faith, and freedom first. That’s why I’m running.”
He wants to lower the cost of living (did nothing to achieve that here in NH), secure the border to stop illegal immigration (because NH is so over run, NOT!) and grow the state's industrial base. Let’s check out some of his votes . . .
HB 726 would incrementally raise the minimum wage, Rep. Cole voted to “table” it. For House Bill 2 (the State Budget) he limited the floor debate and voted to approve it, which will not help lower the cost of living for most NH citizens.
Voted against “establishing a commission to determine the monetary costs of climate damage to the state of NH and the best means of recouping such costs” HB 106. Voted to table “establishing a climate change and damage division in the department of environmental services” HB 526. Voted against “increasing penalties for violations of the shoreland and water quality protection act” HB 422. Then we had HCR 4 which “rejects all offshore wind energy projects in the waters off the coast of NH and the Gulf of Maine.” He voted in favor of rejecting off shore wind projects. Nope, no help from this climate change/extreme weather denier. We have no reason to think he wouldn’t vote the same way in Congress.
Fellow extremist Rep. Joe Sweeney made a motion to table HB 724 having to do with “lead paint poisoning prevention and remediation.” Cole voted in favor of tabling the bill. Voted against HB 646“requiring school districts to establish an online application for participation in the free and reduced price meal program” (That would have made it a little easier for families to apply.) Voted against HB 703.“prohibiting school districts from denying meals to students with unpaid meal balances, and making an appropriation therefor” These bills were meant to help children from low-income families, but the party of “let them eat lead” felt otherwise, including Rep. Cole.
HB 207 “repeals the prohibition on the possession or sale of blackjacks, slung shots, and metallic knuckles except by or to minors.” Voted in favor of this bill because, why not? HB 511“prohibits state and local government entities from adopting sanctuary policies to prohibit or impede the enforcement of federal immigration law.” He voted in favor of this bill. SB 62“relative to law enforcement participation in a federal immigration program and relative to cooperation with federal immigration authorities.” This, of course, would be ICE and Rep. Cole voted in favor of it.
Those who vote in the First Congressional District need to educate themselves as to who is seeking to fill the seat, what good (if any) they would bring not just to the state of NH but also the nation as a whole and in the case of Liberty Alliance member Rep. Brian Cole, how he has voted in the State House. For the good of the people or to hurt us?