Female Supporters: Feltes has 'Proven Track Record' on Women's Issues

Mere minutes after EMILY'S List hit New Hampshire media outlets with its endorsement of Kass Ardinger in the District 15 state Senate Democratic primary, covering Concord, Henniker, Hopkinton, and Warner, three female supporters of Dan Feltes, the other Democrat running in the Sept. 9, primary, issued their own statement noting that their candidate had a "proven track record of standing up for issues that matter to women."

The letter writers, Dr. Gerri King, a psychologist and author; Karen Hicks, a Democratic operative who was political director for Gov. Jeanne Shaheen and state director for Howard Dean's 2004 presidential campaign; and Sara Persechino, of NARAL Pro-Choice New Hampshire; all members of the "Women for Feltes" team, suggested that female voters in the district "read through the list of the women who have endorsed Dan in this race, below, and you’ll see numerous heroes of the ongoing effort to champion issues important to women in New Hampshire."

The full text of the email is below: 

Below is a letter from co-chairs Karen Hicks, Gerri King, and Sara Persechino announcing the formation of “Women for Feltes”, and a list of more than 60 women leaders across Senate District 15 who are endorsing him in this race:

To the women of Concord, Hopkinton, Henniker, and Warner (and the men who support them): 

More than 60 women leaders across Senate District 15 have come together to endorse Dan Feltes for NH State Senate in the upcoming Democratic primary. That’s because Dan has a proven track record of standing up for issues that matter to women – from reproductive health to fair pay laws to flexible family leave and a sound economic blueprint for the Capitol region. He has stood by us in the trenches for years on these issues and he has made them central to his campaign. 

Read through the list of the women who have endorsed Dan in this race, below, and you’ll see numerous heroes of the ongoing effort to champion issues important to women in New Hampshire. There’s a reason why so many current and former board members of organizations like NARAL Pro-Choice New Hampshire and Planned Parenthood of Northern New England are endorsing Dan: because he has stood with us when it mattered, out of the spotlight, and proven his commitment through and through.

As a legal aid attorney, Dan stood up for hundreds of women across the Granite State seeking access to health care and economic opportunity; women facing gender and pregnancy discrimination in employment and housing; and women who were victims of domestic violence seeking safety and housing. Dan fought personally for women – up to the state Supreme Court and to Washington D.C.-based civil rights agencies – who had been run roughshod by powerful interests and had no one else to turn to. One poignant and recent example of Dan’s work can be found in this Washington Post article printed just this week, detailing Dan’s successful fight on behalf of a victim of domestic violence: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/she-the-people/wp/2014/07/22/hud-settles-case-alleging-housing-discrimination-against-domestic-violence-victim/ 

In this campaign, Dan is the one candidate championing better laws for flexible family leave, early childhood development including universal full-day kindergarten, and for a sound economic plan ensuring that as our economy moves forward, it moves forward for all of us. 

We hope you’ll join us in helping elect Dan Feltes – a great advocate for women and families – to the NH State Senate. 

Signed,

Gerri King

Karen Hicks

Sara Persechino

(Co-Chairs, Women for Feltes)

# # #

Women Leaders endorsing Dan Feltes:

• Former District 15 State Senator Mary Louise Hancock
• Representative Mary Jane Wallner of Concord
• Representative Christy Dolat Bartlett of Concord
• Representative June Frazer of Concord
• Representative Barbara French of Henniker
• Hopkinton Select Board Member Sue Strickford
• Hopkinton Select Board Member Sara Persechino
• Lucy Karl
• Gretchen Grappone
• Karen Hicks
• Liz Purdy
• Gerri King
• Deborah Butler
• Kristyn Van Ostern
• Arnie Arnesen
• Barbara Keshen
• Heather M. Burns
• Lauren Simon Irwin
• Lindsay Hanson
• Judie Englander
• Sally Helms
• Michelline Dufort
• Sarah Mattson
• Susan Covert
• Leah Plunkett
• Susanne Smith Meyer
• Linda Saunders Paquette
• Amy Messer
• Cinde Warmington
• Patricia Murphy
• Shannon Rosenberg
• Carol Bagan
• Laura Simoes
• Pat Cantor
• Kate Vaughn
• Karina Kelley
• Hilary Thomson
• Rachel Goldwasser
• Samantha Elliott
• Laura Beaudoin
• Reagan Bissonette
• Donna Brown
• Chia-Huei Parker
• Amy Currie
• Esther Dickinson
• Clara Dietel
• Ruth Cherry
• Janet Gentchos
• Erin Corcoran
• Cheryl Bourassa
• Lisa M. Hall
• Annmarie Timmins
• Anna Hazen
• Celina Hurley
• Terri Boyce Lareau
• Rebecca Whitley
• Emma Sisti
• Tracey Cairns
• Fiona Quirk
• Karen Ryan
• Caitlin Sackman
• Jessica Durkis-Stokes
• Kayla McCarthy

The winner of the Democratic primary will face-off against Republican Lydia Dube Harman in the general election on Nov. 4.

Previous state Senate race coverage: 

• EMILY’S List Backs Kass
• Ardinger First to Hit with Mail
• NH's Largest Public Sector Union Backs Feltes in Senate Race
• Reps, Community Leaders Back Feltes in State Senate Race
• Democrats Have a State Senate Primary in Concord
• Harman Launches Second Bid for State Senate
• Ardinger to Run for State Senate

Check out all the New Hampshire Patch 2014 campaign coverage in our Elections section.