2 New Hampshire Special Elections This Week Have Lessons For Democrats-- Voters Want Progressives

Does this sound like a positive statement from a Democratic candidate in a special election primary?

"I have no 11th-hour plans and will continue to run a positive campaign. I have not met Josh and only saw his campaign info. As union member, I have been a Democrat-- a Kennedy Democrat-- since 1972. District 9 Democratic Primary choices are: a Kennedy Democrat of 40 years who understands decorum and the balance of social programs with the fiscal reality of New Hampshire workers/taxpayers; and a Bernie Socialist. Josh is an ambitious young man who believes he is doing what’s best, and I wish him well."

The hater is Tom Ploszaj of Grafton and the "Bernie Socialist" is Josh Adjutant of Bristol, who ran a write-in campaign and eviscerated Ploszaj 204 (86.4%) to 32 (13.6%). I'm guessing New Hampshire voters saw through his positive campaign bullshit too. It was a state House primary triggered because Republican State Rep. Jack Shackett, suddenly resigned his House right after being reelected. District 9 includes the towns of Alexandria, Ashland, Bridgewater, Bristol and Grafton.

Josh will face off against right-wing Republican Vincent Paul Migliore of Bridgewater and and Libertarian John Babiarz on September 5. Grafton County-- in the west-central part of the state and a much bigger area than just District 9-- is Bernie territory. In the primary Bernie beat Hillary 14,258 (66.6%) to 6,918 (32.3%) and both beat Trump who came in first in the GOP primary but only scored 4,898 votes. County-wide, Hillary beat Trump in the general election handily-- 28,510 (56.9%) to 19,010 (37.9%).

There was other good special election news out of New Hampshire Tuesday night. Kris Schultz won a New Hampshire state House special election in Concord (Ward 9), completely stomping Republican Michael Feeley, 284 (78%) to 82 (22%). Schultz's margin of victory was significantly greater than the Democratic registration advantage in the district, which is 38% Democratic, 26% Republican and 35% independent, third-party and undeclared. The margin of victory, obviously, is pointing at an anti-Trimp/anti-Republican wave that is continuing to build in New Hampshire and across the country. The last election for the seat was won by a Democrat but the margin was only 56% to 44%.