Lamontagne, Hassan Advance in Governor's Race

Republican Ovide Lamontagne and Democrat Maggie Hassan won big in their respective primaries on Tuesday night, and will now face off in the general election on Nov. 6. 

John Babiarz, a Libertarian from Grafton, is also in the race.

Hassan defeated Jackie Cilley of Barrington by a healthy margin to win the Democratic primary, with Bill Kennedy a distant third.

Lamontagne knocked off Kevin Smith in the Republican primary, with Robert Tarr finishing out of the running.

Smith conceded to Lamontagne around 9 p.m., while Cilley conceded to Hassan around 10 p.m.

Hassan sets up the race

Hassan, 54, a former state Senate Majority Leader from Exeter, is an attorney and mother of two children, one of whom, 23-year-old Ben, has severe disabilities. Her husband Tom is principal of Phillips Exeter Academy.

She wasted no time Tuesday night setting up the narrative for the final election, referencing the Tea Party no fewer than six times as she attempted to link Lamontagne with House Speaker Bill O'Brien and the Republican controlled New Hampshire Legislature.

She repeatedly referred to Lamontagne's way as "The Tea Party way," while referring to her way as "The New Hampshire way," a clear attempt to paint Lamontagne as out-of-touch with typical Granite State voters.

"Ovide Lamontagne, the self-proclaimed Tea Party favorite, will move our state backward," Hassan said, with "divisive policies that hurt our economy and restric individual freedoms."

Hassan also twice pledged to veto an income or sales tax, if elected, and attempted to align herself with popular Democratic Gov. John Lynch, who did not seek re-election.

"Our state faces a clear choice in November," she said. "We can continue in the direction of Governor John Lynch, or we can go the direction of Speaker Bill O'Brien and the current Legislature, where the needs of middle class families take a back seat to an extreme social agenda. Ovide Lamontagne tells us that he is New Hampshire. I think we are all New Hampshire."

State Rep. Donna Schlachman, D-Exeter, a Hassan supporter, said the Democrats had two very strong candidates, but the margin that Hassan beat Cilley by says a lot about how strongly Democrats feel about her.

"I think it says Democrats see her and see her leadership as something they can get behind," Schlachman said. "I think it sends a strong message about how Democrats view her and also see her as the Democrats' greatest chance."

Lamontagne thanks supporters

Lamontagne, 54, an attorney from Manchester, is a former chairman of the state Board of Education. He has run unsuccessfully for governor before, in 1996, and he surged among some Tea Party Republicans two years ago when he nearly upset Kelly Ayotte for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate. He and his wife, Bettie, have two daughters.

At the Grappone Conference Center in Concord, he entered the hall to a spirited crowd shouting his name so loud that the partition was vibrating.

Lamontagne thanked his supporters and said that tonight, the primary victory belonged to them.

“Please savor the moment … savor the moment … OK, now it’s over,” he said, telling his supporters it would soon be time to get back to work.

Lamontagne called 2012 “the most important general election of our lifetime” adding that it might be the only chance to stop “a runaway federal government” that was costing New Hampshire tens of thousands of jobs. He said he would bring leadership and experience to the corner office.

The Republican nominee said that both Hassan and Cilley had “big government records” that have raised taxes and spending and put the state in charge of the lives of individuals.

“They are part of the ‘you didn’t build that' team,” he said. “They are part of the ‘we’re going to tax that’ team.”

In promoting his “prosperity agenda,” Lamontagne called for fiscal responsibility, limited government, and “a new direction for New Hampshire that will rely on free enterprise and not government entitlements.” He said state government should be a partner with businesses to allow them to succeed and not a burden with more regulations.

“We can lead an economic recovery where the state government serves not to rule the people,” he said. “If government spending is held in check, there will be no need for a broad-based sales or income tax.”

In closing his remarks, Lamontagne warned his supporters that a negative attack was coming.

“The special interests … the liberal bosses in Concord hear us coming,” he said, “and they will do everything to stop us.”

A hard fought primary

“The Pledge,” the pledge against a state income or sales tax popularized in the 1970s by former Gov. Meldrim Thomson, played a huge role in the gubernatorial primary. The Republican candidates pledged to oppose the broad-based taxes. Hassan embraced it, too, arguing that New Hampshire voters have repeatedly spoken out against an income tax. Cilley rejected “pledge politics,” saying she would not box herself in as governor.

Cilley campaigned around the state on soaring property taxes, which she said was hurting small businesses, not just homeowners. She said the current tax system was out of date.

The Democrats and Republicans were also split on efforts to make New Hampshire a right-to-work state. Cilley and Hassan argue that right-to-work supporters were aiming to gut collective bargaining rights and weaken unions.

Expanded gambling was also a hot topic during the primary. Hassan has supported limited expansion of gambling, including being open to a well-regulated casino in the state.

Cilley and Hassan promoted the state’s gay marriage law, while Lamontagne and Smith said on the campaign trail that while they oppose gay marriage, repealing the law would not be their priority if elected.

Despite the loss, Smith supporters remain impressed with the way their candidate campaigned.

"Kevin's bright and energetic," said Bruce Breton of Windham, speaking at the Derryfield as the results began trickling in. "He's young and he has great ideas..."