'Mini-Bernie' Nashua State Rep. Beauchemin Files Primary Challenge Against U.S. Rep. Goodlander

By Leonard Robinson, NH Journal

Impeach Trump. Abolish ICE. End support for Israel.

That’s the “to-do” list for progressive Nashua state Rep. Paige Beauchemin, who is challenging U.S. Rep. Maggie Goodlander in the NH-02 Democratic primary.

Beauchemin filed her paperwork with the New Hampshire Secretary of State on Tuesday, telling NHJournal she is supported by the left-wing Courage for Democracy PAC, which is backing candidates across more than 30 states, including Massachusetts, Connecticut and Maine. These candidates have committed to pushing Trump’s impeachment, passing a government-run “Medicare for All” health care system and eliminating U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“We have all committed to impeach Trump on Day One and submit papers as long as it takes,” Beauchemin said. “We’re working together because we’re all Medicare for All candidates, we all support getting out of Gaza, and we’re all for abolishing ICE.”

Addressing supporters and reporters in the Secretary of State’s office, Beauchemin said, “This campaign is not about me. I don’t consider it that I’m running for Congress. I am a working person who is trying to get a working person to Washington, because working people deserve representation.”

The 47-year-old maternal health nurse has raised roughly $20,000 since entering the race last October, compared to Goodlander’s more than $2.5 million this cycle — roughly a 125-to-1 financial advantage. But Beauchemin believes there is a cheaper path to victory.

“I don’t need as much money to win because nobody should need that much money to win, and if you’re a good candidate, you don’t need that much money to win,” Beauchemin said. “I’m doing a grassroots campaign where I want to bring in the voters who maybe haven’t been voting.

“I want to bring in the people who are right of center but who voted for Bernie, the regular working people who say, ‘Nothing changes for me, so I’m disengaged and uninspired,’ the young person who says, ‘None of these people are listening to me.’”

Beauchemin said that, for her, the $87,950 Goodlander has raised from the pro-Israel American Israel Public Affairs Committee this cycle “is a deal breaker.”

“Human suffering is a deal breaker,” she said.

Beauchemin, who has promised “disruptive compassion,” has garnered headlines during her time in the State House, including giving the middle finger to Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte and participating in a Democratic-led walkout over remarks made by another representative regarding biological males in women’s spaces during Women’s History Month.

“They’re dying because of you,” Beauchemin shouted at her colleague, state Rep. Erica Layon (R-Derry).

“We’re beyond decorum,” Beauchemin told NHJournal. “I truly see a lot of what’s happening from one party as an abusive relationship, and you don’t act polite to an abuser.”

Beauchemin also said she plans to avoid traditional campaign methods during this cycle, such as door knocking and phone banking.

“Door knocking, phone banking and mailers, that’s the year 2000,” Beauchemin said. “We need to go forward. I have a huge social media game with lots of New Hampshire talk influencers, people who support me, and I have a good relationship with New Hampshire College Democrats.”

“We’re going to actually educate people on how to go out and talk,” Beauchemin said. “And so we say you reach 10 people and get all of them to reach 10 people and get them to reach 10 people, and that’s how we make it work.”

Asked about her congressional role models, Beauchemin named U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Ro Khanna of California, who is a prospective 2028 presidential candidate.

“New Hampshire went for Bernie twice,” Beauchemin said. “And look at me, I’m a mini-Bernie.”

This story was originally published by the NH Journal, an online news publication dedicated to providing fair, unbiased reporting on, and analysis of, political news of interest to New Hampshire. For more stories from the NH Journal, visit NHJournal.com.