Matt McLaughlin of Bedford has announced he will again run as Democratic candidate for NH Senate District 9, which includes Greenfield, Lyndeborough, Sharon, Temple and Jaffrey.
McLaughlin, a navy veteran and former fighter pilot, received 48.4% of the vote in 2024 to Denise Ricciardi’s 51.5%. Ricciardi, a Republican, is also running again.
McLaughlin met with the Greenfield Democrats Thursday night as part of the official launch of his candidacy.
While McLaughlin said he had not planned to again after being defeated in 2024, he said the image of national Republican party on the whole is now such that that he “could see there being a blue wave in 2026.”
“I didn’t think I would run again, but I think it is now a winnable seat, because of the conduct of the Republicans and their image on the national level, ” he said.
McLaughlin said he is inspired by the citizens of Minneapolis and their response to an influx of ICE agents in the city January and February, which resulted in mass protests and the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Petti.
“The citizens of Minnesota were outstanding and I am inspired by them. There was an editorial in the New York Times about how they responded in Minnesota, and it’s called ‘neighboring.’ It’s about engaging with your neighbors, no matter who they are,” McLaughlin said.
When asked what his campaign issues would be, McLaughlin said he is very concerned about the influx of Libertarian “Free Staters” into New Hampshire and the power they hold in the New Hampshire Senate, as well as at the local level.
“These people came here from other states, and their infiltration in NH has magnified. Their cards are almost on the table; ‘Project 2025’ is the table,” McLaughlin said. “You can read exactly what they support on their website. They organized to come here from outside New Hampshire, and they take a pledge will only support funding for ‘life, liberty, and property,’ and nothing else. They don’t support education, they don’t support communities, they don’t support healthcare, they don’t support the things New Hampshire has aways supported.”
McLaughlin said the ‘Free Staters’ have led the efforts to systematically remove funding from K-12 public schools and the New Hampshire university system in the past few years.
“Education Freedom Accounts started with a few people and a small amount of money, and now there is no limit on the income of who can get it, and no limit on the number of kids,” McLaughlin said. “In the the last state budget, the legislature pulled $32 million out of the budget for the UNH system, whereas over in Maine, Governor Janet Mills just made community college free for everyone in Maine. “
McLaughlin also spoke against the ongoing legislative proposals for ‘open enrollment’ in the state’s public schools.
“What I have seen so far is that parents want to send their children to schools with better, larger sports programs; it’s all about that, ” McLaughlin said.
McLaughlin said one of his top priorities is the state’s response to climate change, including supporting New Hampshire’s ability to generate its own energy .
“Energy independence and climate change are related. You look at countries that are energy independent, especially with this war in Iran, we are seeing that countries that create their own energy are less affected when things like this happen; when oil stops coming through the Strait of Hormuz,” he said. “In the first 6 months of 2025, China has put up more solar panels than the USA has ever put up. Their electric car sales are 50% of all new car sales, where ours are at 2%”
McLaughlin said renewable energy is key to New Hampshire’s resiliency and ability to sustain economic growth and independence.
“Electricity is to the 21st century what oil was to the 20th century. Countries who can generate the most electricity are going to win. Kelly Ayotte got us out of offshore wind, and of all the New England states, we require the least clean energy from providers. We’re going to be stuck in the 20th century. That’s where Trump wants us; that’s where big oil wants us,” he said.
McLaughlin said his campaign is also focused on New Hampshire’s “ability to compete with other states.”
“We have to acknowledge, as a state, that we are in a competition with the other 49 states for everything–for talent, for businesses, for people to want to move here. You have to out-compete the other states, and we’re not doing it,” McLaughlin said.
McLaughlin cited the cost of housing, the lack of housing, and high property taxes as being barriers to young people staying in or wanting to move to New Hampshire.
“The median home price is something like $535,000. Our community colleges aren’t free, our taxes are out of control and we’re an aging state. Our surrounding states are outperforming us,” McLaughlin said. “Affordability and healthcare are huge issues.”
McLaughlin said he will return to visit local Democrat groups, including Greenfield, throughout his campaign.