Van Ostern Launches Gubernatorial Bid

In a historic Manchester school building that now houses a growing technology company, Colin Van Ostern told a roundtable of business and education leaders on Oct. 8, 2015, that he will run for governor in 2016 to build an even brighter future for New Hampshire, according to a press statement.

“I’m running for Governor to build an even stronger economy and a brighter future for the people of New Hampshire - one where everyone has the opportunity to succeed,” said Van Ostern. “We must keep our state moving forward in 2016 so New Hampshire will continue to be a great place to raise a family and grow a business in the coming decade - one where our kids can attend great schools, graduate from college without being crushed by debt, and find jobs with good wages.”

Van Ostern said he was a business leader who helped launch Southern New Hampshire University’s College for America, where he currently works, and he had been a champion against the rising problem of student debt. Previously, Van Ostern worked as a business manager at Stonyfield Yogurt, where he was responsible for the profitable growth of a $100 million business. He has managed a consulting business helping dozens of New Hampshire nonprofits and small businesses, has worked at Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business, where he led business trips to India and Brussels, and early in his career he served as a senior advisor to several New Hampshire state leaders.

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“I see a future for our state that is accelerated by passenger rail from Boston to Manchester, brightened by solar panels, supported by growing small businesses, and strengthened by good access to quality health care – whether it’s birth control at Planned Parenthood or addiction treatment services at local health centers,” said Van Ostern. “We will keep taxes low and bring forward new plans and ideas to attract and keep more young people, young families, startups and growing businesses here in our state.”

In 2012, Van Ostern was elected to the Executive Council where he has represented a quarter-million New Hampshire citizens from Rochester to Keene. On the Executive Council, Colin has fought to protect access to birth control and cancer screenings at state Planned Parenthood health centers; to advance passenger rail from Boston to Manchester and numerous renewable energy projects; to expand access to healthcare including treatment for addition; and to stand up for NH consumers during the state’s Fairpoint strike in 2014. Colin lives in Concord with his wife and two sons.

NH GOP: Van Ostern’s record ”lackluster”

The New Hampshire Republican State Committee released a statement about Van Ostern’s upcoming campaign calling him a dedicated political extremist with limited real life accomplishments.

”As a career politician with few real life accomplishments, Councilor VanOstern’s announcement that he will run for another political office should come as no surprise,” said NH GOP Chairwoman Jennifer Horn. “The councilor’s record is so lackluster that even Democrat Party bosses are actively recruiting one-term Portsmouth City Councilor Stefany Shaheen to run against him.”

Horn added that Granite Staters “deserve an independent voice with commonsense values and a willingness to compromise, not a rigid ideologue whose commitment to party politics runs deeper than his commitment to New Hampshire’s best interests.”

“VanOstern’s history as a reliable partisan dedicated to political extremism and Washington special interests make him the wrong choice to lead New Hampshire,” she stated.