Incumbent Republican David Wheeler and Democrat Melanie Levesque have different views on the role of an executive councilor.
While the two agree lower taxes are a priority, they disagree on how to get there.
Both candidates are running for the District 5 seat, which includes Antrim, Bennington, Francestown, Greenfield, Greenville, Jaffrey, Lyndeborough, Mason, New Ipswich, Rindge, Temple and Wilton. This is Levesque’s second time challenging Wheeler.
The five-member Executive Council acts as a check on the governor’s power. It approves and supervises state contracts over $10,000 and confirms high-level appointments, including judges.
Wheeler, who lives in Milford, has served on the Executive Council for eight nonconsecutive terms representing District 5. Levesque, who lives in Brookline, has previously served as a member of the House of Representatives and the state Senate.
State spending
In his 16 years on the Executive Council, Wheeler has sworn he would never vote to raise taxes. He says that’s still the plan.
“We are focused on keeping the New Hampshire advantage: low taxes, low spending, good services to people,” he said.
His goals include keeping the state’s rainy-day fund at a minimum of $100 million to maintain the state government’s strong economic status. The fund currently sits at $225.2 million, according to the state’s 2025 annual comprehensive financial report. Wheeler explained that the rainy-day fund helps to protect its bond rating, which keeps borrowing costs low.
Wheeler also said he wants to focus on signing contracts with an indirect cost of 10% or less, as he’s noticed that overhead costs have increased in recent years.
“We want at least 90% of that money working for the end goal: out in the field helping people,” he said.
For Levesque, affordability is one of her top priorities.
“There’s a lot of issues that we’re facing and, you know, this is a pivotal point that if we don’t change the direction, I’m afraid it’s going to be very, very hard to reverse,” she said.
Levesque said the state government could offset state spending by accepting more federal funding.
“I want to look at the federal funding that we can get, understand what it’s for, who it will serve and ensure that we get as much federal dollars as we can, rather than rejecting them,” she said.
Wheeler has voted against accepting federal funding in some cases. He’s raised concerns about diversity, equity and inclusion language in a contract that would fund professional development opportunities for children with special needs and voted against funding for family planning groups such as Planned Parenthood.
“I was on the Women’s Foundation at the time, and we were trying to figure out how do we fill that gap. You know, we’re not getting money from the state, so we have to figure out how to fill it,” she said. “To me, it’s making decisions based on ideology and not the needs of our people.”
In response, Wheeler said he views federal funding the same way he views taxpayer money and spends it sparingly.
“She treats money like it’s free money,” Wheeler said. “We are the stewards of the federal money the state gets, too. Not to be treated as free money. It should be spent with the same frugality that we spend New Hampshire taxpayers’ money.”
Judge appointments
Given recent concerns over ethics violations by former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Gordon MacDonald, Levesque said she would favor confirming judges with experience in holding a gavel. She wants more oversight and scrutiny of judges, whose appointments are subject to Executive Council approval.
The level of state funding for public schools has been the subject of lawsuits like the Claremont decision, dating back more than 30 years, and Levesque said she strongly supports public schools.
“We have 164,000 students that go to public schools, and I believe it’s our obligation to ensure that they get a good education regardless of their income, where they live, whether they are special needs or not. We’re responsible for all those children,” she said.
Wheeler said, as he has in the past, that he looks for a constitutionalist when considering nominees for judgeships.
“Someone who’s gonna follow the Constitution and not make up their own laws,” he said.
Wheeler said he’s not sure what oversight of appointed judges should look like, given they are appointed for life.
The election is on Nov. 3.
