The scourge that is the heroin and opioid crisis does not care whether you are rich or poor. Those who need access to affordable health care do not belong to just one political party. Our deteriorating infrastructure affects those with progressive views or those with a conservative outlook. And finding a good-paying job is just as important in New Ipswich as it is in Nashua.
Finding solutions to our problems requires everyone to work together, because these issues affect us all. We are fortunate to live in such a great place – where people care about their neighbors and their communities. And we expect our elected officials to put aside petty arguments about which political party is right and work together to get results.
That’s why I’m running for the State Senate. I’m not running to push an ideological agenda, but to make sure that you have a senator who listens to you with open ears, considers every option with an open mind, and helps the people of our community with an open heart.
Throughout my career as a nurse, I had a single goal – helping the people of our community be happier, healthier, and better off. It’s that same goal that I will bring back to the State House.
No one person has all the answers to our problems, but I am dedicated to putting the needs of the people of District 12 first and reaching across partisan lines to achieve real results that will help real people in our state.
And my record reflects this belief. While in the Senate, I helped lead the negotiations between Republicans and Democrats, between our business community and health care advocates, to craft the bipartisan New Hampshire Health Protection Program, which ensures that close to 50,000 hardworking Granite Staters can access quality, affordable health care.
I supported the first bipartisan budget in decades, which focused on ways to grow our economy and help the middle class, not on ideological crusades.
I was especially proud that this budget increased funding for our state’s colleges and universities, which allowed them to freeze tuition, and for a cause I championed: rebuilding the Children in Need of Service program, which helps keep our at-risk young people and keeps our community safe.
Along with the Nashua Chamber of Commerce and the Business and Industry Association, I was an outspoken proponent for the bipartisan Transportation Funding Plan, which is helping our economy by advancing critical road and bridge projects, and bipartisan efforts to leverage federal funds to move forward on passenger rail. Bringing passenger rail to New Hampshire will help maximize our regional position in southern part of the state and spark economic growth for decades to come.
I was also proud to join my neighbors of all political persuasions in opposing the Kinder Morgan pipeline project. And when Kinder Morgan withdrew their proposal earlier this year, it showed just what can happen when we work together, across party lines, to protect our environment and property rights.
But we can’t let our state go backward.
The heroin and opioid crisis continues to grow and we need to find bipartisan solutions to stem and reverse the tide on this terrible epidemic.
The health and financial stability of 50,000 hard-working Granite Staters will also need to be addressed in the next session.
The successful NH Health Protection Program, which is critical for our businesses and our economy, is due to expire and will need to be extended once again.
Commuter rail has stalled due to inaction in Concord. We need to find a consensus way forward on this project and to ensure that we are continuing to make smart investments to create a modern and safe transportation system.
And while our economy continues to grow, there are still too many people who need a break to make it in the middle class. We need to make sure that we create an environment where not only can our businesses flourish, but our workers see their wages rise.
But most importantly, we need someone in the State Senate who will listen to the people and bring their concerns to Concord. While I’m a firm believer that government can’t be the answer to all our problems, it is the job of our elected leaders to work day and night for the people who live and work in their community.
If you choose me as your state senator, I will be that tireless worker, listen to our community, and work with anyone who’s willing to get real results for you. I know you expect nothing less.
Peggy Gilmour (D-Hollis) is a former state senator for District 12, which includes Mason, Greenville, New Ipswich and Rindge. She is running again for the Senate seat, which is currently held by Kevin Avard (R-Nashua).