New Hampshire State Troopers Association Backs Feltes: Watch

CONCORD, NH — In 2018, the New Hampshire Troopers Association, the union that represents state police in the Granite State, endorsed Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican. For 2020, they are endorsing his opponent, Dan Feltes, a Democrat.

Marc Beaudoin, a retired detective trooper and the executive director of the organization, said the bad blood between the governor and the union, specifically concerning contract negotiations during the last year, was not only disheartening but also unfair. Troopers in the state, like several unions, have been working without a contract.

"This year we went through the most difficult contract negotiations ever," Beaudoin said. "I know the members of the NH Troopers Association and their families are disappointed that the governor refused to accept the third-party fact-finder's recommendation and we continue to work without the contract that was negotiated. With that in mind, today we are endorsing Dan Feltes for governor. We know he is committed to public safety, public service, and to the workers of the state."

Beaudoin said, while a state Senator, Feltes always had an open door policy and he was instrumental, as Senate majority leader, in getting the Legislature to approve action on the outstanding contract.

Watch part of the endorsement below.

Feltes said he was "honored to earn the endorsement" and said their work on the frontlines made troopers an integral part of keeping the state safe.

"If we are going to solve the most pressing issues of the day, we must work together," Feltes said. "They deserve fair wages, fair benefits, and a governor who shows up when it matters, not simply for photo-ops."

Feltes also said, if elected, he was committed to making sure the department was properly staffed as well.

Record Breaking Turnout

The numbers are in and despite fear of COVID-19 and because of changes to the state's absentee ballot laws, the 2020 state primary was the busiest in New Hampshire history.

According to the Secretary of State's Office, 304,671 people voted in New Hampshire on Sept. 8 and a whopping 90,322 absentee ballots were also cast. Interestingly, or maybe not so, more than three times as many Democrat ballots were filed by absentee than GOP ones. About 9,300 more Democrat ballots were cast than Republicans ones — 156,976 to 147,695.

According to Ben Vihstadt of the Sununu campaign, around 4,200 Democrats wrote-in Sununu's name on their primary ballots while about 14,600 Democrats blanked the Feltes-Andru Volinsky race — meaning 12 percent of voters who voted in the Democrat's primary did not vote for either candidate, a shockingly high amount.

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• A Busy Day At The Concord Polls Despite New Coronavirus Pandemic
• New Hampshire Primary Election Results: Feltes Declared Winner
• New Hampshire Attorney General: We Will Do Better On Voter Fraud

Topless Exeter Voter Speaks!

It may be one of the most amusing stories of the 2020 election season in New Hampshire — a woman, who was told to take off a political T-shirt while inside the Exeter polling location agreed and then, voted topless.

The story, first reported by Jason Schreiber of the New Hampshire Union Leader, went national and the woman decided to tell her side of the story.

The voter claims there were two them wearing political shirts inside the polls at the same time: She was wearing her McCain American Hero, Trump American Zero, custom made shirt, and another voter was wearing a T-shirt with a U.S. flag, a large Christian cross, and the words, "I'm voting for my God and country."

When officials approached her about taking off her T-shirt, she balked and pointed to the guy wearing the God and country shirt. She was told, she claimed, that the other voter's shirt was not political.

"Oh, come on," she replied.

Since she knew she had nothing else on underneath the T-shirt, not even a bra, she asked if she could vote naked. The official supposedly replied, "If you want to."

"Off my shirt came," she said in an email to Patch. "I checked in, received my ballot, entered a voting booth, donned the shirt, filled out my ballot, left the booth, inserted my ballot into the machine, and walked out."

Exeter police officers were entering the polling location and spoke to the official but did not detain her, she said. One of the officers replied, "Her?," as she left, she said.

"So, there's the story from my side," she wrote. "I do know the regulations (not law!) about elections. My shirt did not read 'VOTE' anyone … yet, the other voter's shirt used the word 'voting' — I would think that is far more political than mine."

After some prodding, she agreed to send us a photo of the T-shirt.

Firefighters Union Backs Pappas

On the same day the Professional Fire Fighters of NH endorsed Sununu, they also endorsed U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, the incumbent Democrat in the 1st Congressional District.

Bill McQuillen, the president of the union, said Pappas had offered a "strong, pragmatic approach to solving the problems our communities face," and knew what it takes to build stronger communities and working families.

Pappas called it an honor to receive the endorsement.

"They put their lives on the line to serve our communities every day and keep Granite Staters safe, and now we need to have their backs," Pappas said. "I will keep fighting in Congress for the funding that cities, towns, and local departments need to promote the safety, health, and well-being of all our residents. Working together we can secure a stronger future, and I’m grateful to be standing with our fire fighters, paramedics, and first responders in this campaign."

Here is a photo from the endorsement.

100+ Reopen NH Candidates Win Primaries

ReopenNH announced Thursday that 101 of its 115 endorsed slate of candidates won their primaries.

The org's chairman, Andrew Manuse, said the results prove that Granite Staters want the lives and livelihoods back to normal.

“Our endorsed candidates are moving on to the general election with the clear message that runaway government edicts have created a greater threat to the health and safety of Granite Staters than the coronavirus ever did, and they are prepared to get government out of the way so New Hampshire residents can get their lives and livelihoods back on track," he said. "We are confident that other candidates running alongside our winners will note this victory and join in a rational debate about the role of government during a state of emergency."

Biden's Wife, Kamala's Husband Head To NH

The Biden-Harris 2020 campaign announced Thursday that Jill Biden and Doug Emhoff will be in the Granite State for an event Sept. 16. Details were not available at post time.

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