New Hampshire was no exception to the “blue tsunami” that swept the nation on Nov. 3, with Democrats winning most of the region’s state Senate races.
Districts 9, 10, 11, and 12, which cover the southwestern corner of the state, voted Democratic candidates into power after years of Republican wins, contributing to the party’s new, expansive majority in the state legislature.
District 8: Creighton wins narrowly over Trumble
The exception to the blue wave in the region was in District 8, where Republican Jim Creighton won by a narrow margin against Democrat David Trumble.
Creighton won the district overall by 389 votes, or just over 1% of the vote, in a historically Republican district that includes Antrim, Bennington and Francestown. Republican Ruth Ward, who will retire at the end of this year, has held the District 8 seat for 10 years.
Creighton’s win puts the Senate at 15 Democrats and nine Republicans, leaving Democrats one shy of a veto-proof supermajority.
Creighton lost to Trumble in his hometown of Antrim by a margin of 676 to 632 votes. Thirty-one voters did not mark a candidate in the race, resulting in undervotes. In Bennington, Creighton won by 10 votes, receiving 322 to Trumble’s 312, and 12 Bennington voters did not select a candidate in the state Senate race. In Francestown, Creighton received 488 votes to Trumble’s 526. Overall, Creighton received 12,539 votes, or 50.8%, while Trumble received 12,150 votes, or 49.2%.
Trumble conceded the race on Thursday, saying that he had decided not to request a recount.
“I have faith in our election system, and I believe that the result was fair and accurate,” Trumble said in a statement.
Creighton, who served three terms as a state representative for Hillsborough County District 30, which includes Antrim, Bennington, Hillsborough, and Windsor, said he will continue to fight against tax increases.
“My top priority has always been and will always be to maintain the ‘Granite State Advantage,’ with no income tax and no sales tax, and more affordable, lower property taxes,” Creighton said.
Trumble said he was looking forward to progress.
“I believe this election is the beginning of a great future for our state,” he said. “Our Democratic majorities in the House and Senate and Executive Council will bring common sense to state government and will put the needs of the people first.”
District 9: McLaughlin ousts Ricciardi
The third time was a charm for Bedford Navy veteran and Democrat Matt McLaughlin, who ran against incumbent Denise Ricciardi, also of Bedford, twice previously. McLaughlin, who called Tuesday’s election “a blue wave and a red undertow,” said he is looking forward to working with each of the 13 communities he will now represent.
McLaughlin received 14,352 votes, or 53.6% of the total, while Ricciardi received 12,417, or 46% of the total vote.
“When American citizens — and New Hampshire citizens — saw something that needed changing, they really stepped up and made the change, using the power of the vote. We’re very blessed to have that in this country, and I was glad to see it happen,” McLaughlin said. “I think we made it to eight towns on election day, and in almost every one of them, when the polls opened, there were lines around the corner. People were excited to get out and vote. It’s one of the greatest things we have as Americans, and we’re fortunate that we’re able to exercise this right.”
District 9, which was redrawn in 2022, consists of a string of 13 towns stretching from Bedford all the way to Hinsdale, on the Vermont border. The district includes Lyndeborough, Greenfield, Temple, Sharon, and Jaffrey. McLaughlin won by narrow margins in all five of those towns.
Ricciardi said she “will really miss the people.”
“I have really grown to love the people of these communities,” Ricciardi said Thursday. “It has been the honor of my life to serve as your senator for the past six years. The voters have made their choice, and I respect it.”
Ricciardi said she is “very proud” of the work she did for her constituents in the past six years, including being named a “Water Warrior” for securing water and sewer funding for towns in her district.
“I just hope the accomplishments I made for the people of my district keep going,” she said.
Fenton wins District 10 in unopposed race
Democratic incumbent Donovan Fenton ran unopposed for District 10, which includes Dublin, Hancock and Peterborough.
Fenton said Thursday that his top priority will continue to be making life more affordable for the people of New Hampshire, noting that “there is still so much work to be done.”
“I’m incredibly grateful and humbled to have earned your support and the opportunity to continue representing District 10 in the New Hampshire State Senate,” Fenton stated on social media. “From lowering costs for working families and addressing our housing challenges to supporting our public schools and small businesses, I remain committed to fighting for the issues that matter most to our communities. Whether you voted for me or not, I am here to represent you, listen to your concerns, and work on your behalf. I’m excited to get back to work.”
District 11 is back to blue
The back-and-forth battle between Democrats and Republicans in District 11 flipped back to blue with Democrat Shannon Chandley winning over Republican Tim McGough. The district includes Amherst, Wilton, Milford and Merrimack.
Chandley received 16,651 votes, or 58% of the vote in the district overall, while McGough received 12,083 votes, or 42%. Chandley trounced McGough in Wilton, receiving 1,115 votes to McGough’s 810.
Chandley previously represented District 11 from 2018 to 2020. Chandley also previously served three noncontiguous terms in the NH House.
“It is an honor to be elected to serve District 11 again. I know the work that awaits, and I am prepared to tackle it. I promise to work to find solutions to the problems we face, and I am tremendously grateful to the countless volunteers who helped to move this campaign forward and, most especially, to the voters of Senate District 11 for your trust in me,” Chandley stated.
McGough responded to a request for a comment with the following statement on Friday:
“Although my time in the Senate is ending, my commitment to the people of District 11 is not. It has been an extraordinary honor to serve our communities, particularly as the first State Senator from Merrimack in more than 50 years. The voters have spoken, and I respect their decision. I congratulate Senator-elect Shannon Chandley on a well-run campaign and sincerely wish her and all newly elected officials success. Elections come and go, but public service and community engagement endure. I intend to remain actively engaged, standing up for the interests of our communities.”
Roy flips District 12
Democrat Carryl Roy, a first-time candidate for state office, received 52% of the vote in District 12, defeating GOP incumbent Kevin Avard.
District 12 includes Greenville, Mason, New Ipswich and Rindge, as well as Hollis, Brookline,and Nashua. Overall, Roy received 14,702 votes to Avard’s 13,527.
Avard, a small business owner who lives in Nashua, has represented District 12 since 2020.
Support for Roy varied widely in the district, with historically conservative-leaning New Ipswich casting 1,691 votes for Avard and just 741 for Roy. The vote was more evenly distributed in Greenville, with Avard receiving 386 votes and Roy, 326. Mason cast 446 votes for Avard and 311 for Roy. In Rindge, also a historically conservative town, Avard received 1,642 votes and Roy, 1,081 votes.
Roy said in a statement that it is her “deep privilege not only to run this race for the chance to serve you, but to hear your stories and your perspectives along the way. I will take all of that with me to Concord.”
“As many of you heard me say during the campaign, I believe good ideas can come from anywhere and bad ideas can come from anywhere. It is the responsibility of every elected official to remember why you are in that seat – to serve every single one of your constituents and citizens of New Hampshire – and to come to the same table and work together. It is not about political party. It is about the people we serve,” Roy stated. “I’m incredibly excited to be your Senator-elect for NH District 12. I am humbled by the trust put in me, and I always will work my hardest for the betterment of our State and the citizens within.”
Avard has not responded to a request for comment.