Neil Misra, Salem State Representative Candidate

Neil Misra

Age (as of Election Day)

29

Position sought (including district number if applicable)

State Representative - Rockingham District 25

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

Father 71 (Retired Engineer), Mother 62 (Accountant), Younger Brother 28 (Architect)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

Education

B.A. George Washington University
Master's Cambridge University
Master's Oxford University

Occupation

Just finished school.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

None.

Campaign website

www.neilmisra.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am passionate about serving my community. As a lifelong resident of Salem, I am intimately familiar with the fundamental issues affecting our town and our state. Unfortunately, it is clear to me that the current legislature has failed to adequately address these issues. Our freedoms have been compromised, while our pockets have been hurting from skyrocketing energy prices and high property taxes. There is an obvious gap in effective leadership for tackling these problems. I believe with the utmost conviction that I can do a much better job at advocating on behalf of Granite Staters. Furthermore, I know that I can provide a fresh perspective and dynamic leadership to a legislature that has been stagnant for far too long. It is my goal to bring a more compassionate and common-sense style of politics to Concord. Ultimately, I feel that I have a duty to do something about the injustices and struggles faced by my community.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The government assault on abortion rights and reproductive freedoms. People should have the right to dictate their own private medical decisions. However, Republicans in the state legislature have repeatedly sought to implement measures that restrict bodily autonomy. This year, they introduced a bill that would have banned abortions beyond 6 weeks (HB 1477). Many individuals don't even know they are pregnant at 6 weeks. Republicans also introduced a sickening bill that would effectively give a prospective father the legal right to "veto" a pregnant woman's right to an abortion (HB 1181). Such legislative policies represent an outrageous infringement on our rights. If elected, I will fight tirelessly to ensure that the right to an abortion ALWAYS remains protected and legal in the state of New Hampshire.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

The two most obvious differences between myself and my opponents are that 1) I respect the rights of Granite Staters and 2) my sense of fiscal responsibility.

As stated above, reproductive rights are under attack by the state government. The current legislature has already passed the first ban on abortions in the modern history of New Hampshire. Sadly, this was only the beginning—the legislature went further and introduced a bill that would ban abortions beyond 6 weeks. 8 of the 9 current representatives from Salem failed to vote in favor of killing this repugnant bill. Most Granite Staters will agree that the government should not play any role in dictating an individual's private, personal medical decisions. Every single person in this state has a right to bodily autonomy. I respect this right. My opponents, broadly speaking, do not.

Furthermore, my opponents do not share my respect for the principle of fiscal responsibility. Most of them support the reckless "school voucher" program introduced by the current legislature, which effectively siphons taxpayer money away from public schools and gifts that money to private schools. This irresponsible program is already catastrophically over budget. Republicans earmarked $130,000 for the program—it has actually cost $9 million to date, meaning that it is a whopping 6000% over the original budget. Unsurprisingly, it is taxpayers that will be forced to pay for this profligacy. Left unchecked, the disastrous school voucher program will cause property taxes to rise significantly. If elected, I will end this wasteful voucher policy and restore fiscal responsibility to our state's finances.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

The current officeholders have failed to protect our rights, have failed to act in a fiscally responsible manner, and have failed to provide long-term energy solutions to keep energy costs down.

When the state legislature tried to ban abortions beyond 6 weeks, 8 of the 9 current State Representatives for Salem failed to vote in favor of killing this outrageous bill. You read that correctly—8 out of 9. This represents an unprecedented assault on the rights of Granite Staters, and it is an abhorrent failure of leadership. If elected, I will fight tirelessly to protect your rights, and I will ensure that reproductive freedoms are never compromised in our state.

The current officeholders also voted to pass a financially reckless “school voucher” program that essentially siphons your taxpayer dollars away from public schools and funnels that money into private schools. 90% of New Hampshire children attend public schools, so we need to ensure that our schools are properly funded. Furthermore, 90% of the students participating in the private school voucher program were ALREADY attending private schools—consequently, they do not need a taxpayer-subsidized government handout to pay for their private education. Concord told us that the voucher program would cost $130,000. It has now cost $9 million to date, and the cost continues skyrocket. This puts the voucher program a ridiculous 6000% over budget. Such financial waste and recklessness is unconscionable. The current officeholders that voted for this policy have clearly shown that they cannot be trusted with responsibly handling our state’s finances. If elected, I will restore fiscal responsibility to our state government.

Lastly, the current officeholders have refused to take decisive action in updating our energy infrastructure to keep your energy costs down. Right now, energy costs are far too high for ordinary Granite Staters. We need to diversify our energy portfolio with alternative sources of energy in order to ensure that your energy bill goes down and STAYS down. If elected, I will introduce legislation to facilitate the transition to a more diverse energy portfolio and make energy more affordable in New Hampshire.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Two key issues that further define my campaign platform are 1) tackling the rising cost of energy and 2) legalizing adult-use cannabis.

1) Every Granite Stater deserves access to affordable, clean energy. Currently, energy bills are far too high and our energy production is not sufficiently clean. Nuclear energy is extremely costly, while natural gas and coal harm our environment. By switching to more low-cost renewable energy sources, we can simultaneously lower energy costs AND reduce our emissions output. Right now, New Hampshire has the lowest renewable energy target in the region—a pitiful 25%. As State Representative, I will raise our state's renewable energy targets, reduce energy costs, and make our grid cleaner. Providing affordable energy options to the people of New Hampshire with a diversified energy portfolio will save money for Granite Staters and help modernize our infrastructure.

2) 74% of Granite Staters agree that adult-use cannabis should be legal in the state of New Hampshire. In spite of this broad public support, our current state legislators have failed to deliver on legalization. Research shows that the legalization of adult-use cannabis could raise over $44 million in revenue for our state. The economic and fiscal benefits of legalization are clear. Nevertheless, New Hampshire remains an "island" in the region—we are the only state in New England without legal cannabis. All this money WE could be making is escaping across our borders to OTHER neighboring states. It does not have to be this way. If elected, I will introduce a responsible, common sense legalization bill that will correct this absurd irregularity. Through legalization, we will generate millions in revenue for our state and simultaneously bolster personal freedoms.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

While studying at Oxford University, I was elected Vice President of the student body in the highest turnout election in university history. Furthermore, I previously worked for our Congresswoman Annie Kuster in Washington, DC. Both of these experiences gave me direct, hands-on experience in dealing with high-pressure political environments. I also gained firsthand insight into the policy-making process. I know that I have the skills, experience, and temperament to be an effective legislator and representative.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

“If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port for eternity." You have to put yourself out there and take risks in order to make meaningful changes happen.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am a lifelong resident of Salem and a proud graduate of Salem High School. I'm running for State Representative because I am passionate about serving my community, and I fervently believe in protecting our rights and fundamental freedoms. As a State Representative, I will fight tirelessly to ensure that the right to an abortion and the right to a quality education for our children are never infringed upon in the state of New Hampshire. I will also introduce measures to reduce our sky-high energy costs, and I will lower property taxes by raising revenue from the legalization of adult-use cannabis. I hope that I can count on your support in November!