Becky Whitley, Concord State Senate Candidate

Becky Whitley

Age (as of Election Day)

40

Position Sought

NH Senate District 15

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

I share my home with my husband, Steven Whitley, and our son Jackson, a rising first grader. I am also lucky enough to have family - including my mother and sister - living close by.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

I received my Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) from George Washington University and my J.D. from Vermont Law School.

Occupation

I have 15+ years of experience as a disability rights attorney, child health advocate, climate organizer, and policy director.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

none

Campaign website

https://www.beckywhitley.com/

Why are you seeking elective office?

I entered this race because I think it's important to have the voice of a working parent in the NH Senate - someone who can be the voice for the next generation of Granite Staters. My whole career has been committed to social justice and public service, as a disability rights lawyer, climate activist and organizer, and child health policy specialist and advocate. I have the expertise and tenacity needed to take on the toughest issues, as well as the hands-on experience in creating systemic change.

Change, unrest, and uncertainty are sweeping the country right now. We’re experiencing an unprecedented public health and economic crisis, and systemic racism continues to threaten the very fabric of our communities. Gaping shortfalls in the healthcare system are putting families and children at risk. Politicians are using this pandemic to erode access to reproductive health care. Public education is being crippled by persistent underfunding and inequitable tax policies. Natural landscapes, clean energy, and the climate are under assault. Partisan politics are destabilizing functional governance. Whole economies are shifting and small businesses are feeling the squeeze while increasing wage gaps and wealth consolidation threaten our ability to support our local economies. Each of these challenges is daunting, and combined they are placing enormous burdens on New Hampshire families.

I am running because I believe these challenges can be met together. Embedded in them is the opportunity for transformation if we take hold and convert fear and uncertainty into hope and change. I’m running because I want something better for my family and for yours, and I’m committed to ensuring that what emerges is more just, connected, healthy, and equitable.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Because of our aging demographic, the future of our state depends on our ability to attract and retain young families and young people to New Hampshire, while continuing to support our current community members. To do so, we need to send a message from the State House that NH is a place where young people can thrive. We need to do this by passing family-friendly policies like paid family and medical leave and creating more affordable housing that will make it easier for our young people to remain in New Hampshire. We also need to pass legislation on the issues that people care about - including climate action, public education, and racial justice.

1) Climate action

Scientists tell us we have less than 10 years to take serious action to combat climate change. In the face of years of federal inaction, state action is increasingly important. Climate change impacts all of us and is a clear and present danger to our state’s public health and economic future. We live in a state full of incredible natural beauty, which is integral to our health and economy. Yet we have fallen behind our fellow New England states when it comes to preserving our environment and taking meaningful action on climate change. That is why I support clean and renewable energy solutions, zero waste policies, increasing renewable energy and efficiency programs in New Hampshire, and setting legislatively-mandated targets for cutting dangerous carbon pollution. New Hampshire must be a leader in the region, or lose the innovation race, and science must be the foundation for smart policies. We need to invest in clean energy solutions that will drive innovation and bring new jobs to New Hampshire.

2) Public Education

As a mom and engaged community member, I understand the importance of strong public schools to New Hampshire communities and to the future of the Granite State. Funding our public schools and other public services largely with property taxes is unfair and unsustainable, which is why I believe it’s past time for broad structural changes to our school funding system that are more equitable and put an end to divisiveness within communities. New Hampshire has been struggling with education funding for decades, and I know we can do better. Children in Berlin should have access to the same quality education as children in Hopkinton. We need to take an honest, fresh look at our state’s revenue problem and stop downshifting more and more costs to local communities, placing an incredible burden on property taxpayers, young families and older Granite Staters.

3) Racial Justice

Systemic racism is a deep-rooted issue in New Hampshire and I will push and support legislation that supports communities of color and helps to change an oppressive system. This includes: criminal justice reform; tougher laws that govern misconduct for police; increased training for law enforcement in implicit and racial bias, mediation and conflict de-escalation skills for all law enforcement; and mostly importantly, INVESTING in our communities. We need to address the widening income gap and ensure every Granite Stater has access to a livable wage that can provide a decent standard of living, which starts with setting a state minimum wage. We need a state-wide plan to address the lack of access to affordable housing in New Hampshire. Lastly, we need to craft all health policy with a health equity lens, addressing the important social determinants that impact health, such as housing, education, and access to health insurance.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

The solutions that made progress yesterday are not the same solutions that will bring us forward today. I have dedicated my entire career to public service, as a disability rights attorney, climate action leader, and child health advocate. For years, I broke down barriers for my clients and led at the grassroots level, developing the profound understanding and on-the-ground experience required to drive effective change. I continue to willingly get into the weeds to deeply understand the challenges that Granite Staters face. From my experience taking on the toughest issues, I’ve realized we need a new vision for New Hampshire to truly drive equal opportunity.

With the change, unrest, and uncertainty sweeping the country right now, it’s critically important that we bring a new, fresh perspective to this moment. As your State Senator, I will commit to reimagining how we make a healthy New Hampshire for everyone regardless of race, gender identity, zip code, or economic status. I will drive the progressive results needed to deliver equal opportunity - whether that is access to health care, strong schools, a livable wage, or a clean and healthy environment. I’ll demand broad structural changes that are more equitable and put an end to divisiveness within communities. Because as a mother, lawyer, and Granite Stater, I want better for my family and yours.

My fight will always be your fight, and I’m ready to take it to the State Senate.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

N/A

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

Healthcare: Too many New Hampshire families are struggling with the rising cost of healthcare and prescription drugs. We can and must do better. I am committed continuing the work I started with the bipartisan passing of SB14, to doing what it takes to remove barriers to quality and affordable healthcare, reduce costs, and simplify access—especially for our most vulnerable communities.

Reproductive Health & Rights: I will be a tireless advocate for protecting and expanding access to reproductive health care for all Granite Staters. I will also fight to protect reproductive freedom, including the right to decide whether, when, and how to have children. This means ensuring that government stays out of the deeply personal choices we make about our bodies. It also includes supporting maternal health during pregnancy, supporting families and caregivers once a child is born, and focusing on primary prevention efforts such as ensuring access to quality childcare and early childhood education for all Granite Staters.

Workforce: Although our economy is strong overall, New Hampshire families and local businesses are experiencing real economic strains that require fresh ideas and innovative approaches. The future of our state depends on New Hampshire being an attractive place to live, work, and raise a family. We need creative solutions to attract (and retain) young people to New Hampshire. We must expand family-friendly policies to attract a highly skilled workforce so small businesses thrive in New Hampshire. We also need to support more affordable housing that will make it easier for our young people to remain in New Hampshire.

Lastly, we need to pay particular attention to New Hampshire’s growing workforce shortage, which is most prominent in health care. New Hampshire is facing an increasingly aging population and our healthcare workforce needs to be robust enough to meet their needs. That is why I will pursue health care workforce pipeline investments in our college and universities, investment in Medicaid providers, and policies to address overly burdensome administrative requirements on providers.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

As a staff attorney at the Disability Rights Center - NH, I helped families navigate the healthcare system to receive necessary care. I worked hard to break down barriers for my clients and developed a profound understanding of the significant gaps in our chronically underfunded and uncoordinated systems. New Hampshire continues to experience a mental health and substance misuse crisis - exacerbated by the ongoing pandemic - that must be addressed head-on through prevention services, early intervention, improved access to community-based treatment, and other public health-based policy solutions.

After working at the Environmental Defense Fund as a climate advocate and grassroots organizer for Moms Clean Air Force, I developed the know-how to fight for clean and renewable energy solutions, zero-waste policies, and improved renewable energy and efficiency programs in New Hampshire. Climate change impacts all of us and is a clear and present danger to our state’s public health and economic future. New Hampshire must be a leader in the region, or lose the innovation race, and science must be the foundation for smart policies. There is no reason New Hampshire should be lagging on solutions like net metering or regional transportation plans. We need to transition to 100% clean and renewable energy and a critical step is setting mandatory emission reduction targets - a policy proven to drive innovation and create new jobs.

As policy director for the Children’s Behavioral Health Collaborative, I worked with elected officials across the political spectrum to push for reforms and improve access to essential healthcare and education services. I was instrumental in the passage of Senate Bill 14, which transformed how we serve our most vulnerable children and families by increasing services for children in crisis and improving the child protection system. But there is still so much to be done. We need to address the root causes of childhood trauma, so that all children have the opportunity to develop academically, socially, and emotionally; we need to focus on primary prevention efforts such as ensuring access to quality childcare and early childhood education for all Granite Staters; and we need to continue to broaden the service array for vulnerable children and families and rebalance spending away from institutional care and towards less expensive and more effective in-home and community-based services.

As a mom and engaged community member, I understand the importance of strong public schools. Funding our public schools and other public services largely with property taxes is unfair and unsustainable, which is why I believe it’s past time for broad structural changes that are more equitable and put an end to divisiveness within communities. We need to take an honest, fresh look at our state’s revenue problem and stop downshifting more and more costs to local communities, placing an incredible burden on property taxpayers.

The best advice ever shared with me was …

Be bold, be kind, be authentic, and listen to your gut.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

It is time to demand bold and just change that translates our democratic values into meaningful action. This will require fresh perspectives from compassionate leaders who bring a different type of experience to the table. We need a deep commitment to meeting the trials of the moment while building a 21st century New Hampshire that maintains our unique way of life in a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable manner. My fight will always be your fight, and I’m ready to take it to the State Senate. If you're ready for meaningful action and a better way forward, I ask that you vote for me, Becky Whitley, for NH State Senate District 15.