KEVIN SMITH HIRES PROFILE STRATEGY GROUP AS SENIOR ADVISORS

MANCHESTER – Today, Kevin Smith, Republican candidate for governor of New Hampshire, announced that he has hired Profile Strategy Group to advise his campaign.

“The principals at Profile Strategy Group are a proven and accomplished team of political advisors, with significant experience in statewide campaigns,” said Kevin Smith. “I’m pleased to have their support and counsel, and I couldn’t ask for a better team of strategists for my campaign.”

Profile Strategy Group is based in Concord and specializes in political strategy and campaign consulting. Brothers James Sununu and Michael Sununu formed the company with political veteran Jamie Burnett in 2009.

Strategist Jamie Burnett, said, “Kevin Smith is a smart and convincing candidate for governor. He is singularly focused on improving New Hampshire’s fiscal condition and economic environment to attract new businesses and to create good-paying, sustainable jobs for the 21^st Century. Kevin is running a very competitive campaign, and once elected, he will provide excellent leadership for the state as Governor.”

The principals of PSG have served in key roles for numerous political organizations, including:

• New Hampshire Republican State Committee 2009, 2010
• New Hampshire House Republican Victory PAC 2010
• John Robitaille for Rhode Island Governor 2010
• Rich Ashooh for Congress (NH-1) 2010
• Chris Sununu for New Hampshire Executive Council 2010
• John E. Sununu for U.S. Senate 2002, 2008
• John E. Sununu for Congress (NH-1) 1996, 1998, 2000
• Mitt Romney for President 2008
• RNC Victory Campaign/Bush-Cheney 2004
• National Republican Congressional Committee 1991-1996
• Steve Forbes for President 1996
• Steve Merrill for New Hampshire Governor 1992

SMITH: VOTERS DESERVE A CHANCE TO SETTLE EDUCATION FUNDING ISSUE

MANCHESTER – Today, Kevin Smith, Republican candidate for governor of New Hampshire, made the following statement regarding the education funding amendment:

“Leadership is necessary in order for a Constitutional Amendment to pass the House and Senate, and then be approved on the ballot by the voting public. Therefore, it’s imperative that those individuals involved in crafting the language of the amendment recognize the importance of getting the measure to the ballot. No amendment can pass if the voters don’t get the chance to participate, and a failure to agree on language will kill this effort before the public gets that opportunity.

“While the House and Senate versions of the amendment differ slightly, I hope that the parties who are proposing these measures can move towards reconciliation so that the voters of New Hampshire can settle this problem once and for all. New Hampshire’s students and families deserve it.

“State education funding has been an unresolved issue for too many years. It should no longer be a political football handled by the courts and special interests, but instead authorized and administered by the legislature and governor. After nearly two decades of lawsuits and court interference, it’s unfortunate that Governor Lynch chose to wait until his eighth and final year in office before making any concerted effort to address this problem.” 

NHDP - Does Ovide Lamontagne Support Repealing Birth Control Coverage?

Concord, NH - Does Republican Gubernatorial candidate Ovide Lamontagne support repealing New Hampshire's 12-year-old law guaranteeing women equity in contraceptive coverage?  Yesterday, House Speaker Bill O'Brien announced that he would seek to repeal New Hampshire's law, after it was suddenly brought to his attention by national Republican insiders over a decade after it was passed. 
 
"Lamontagne needs to tell the women of New Hampshire whether as governor he would take away equal protection for birth control coverage, and add hundreds of dollars a  year to their health care costs," said Terie Norelli, Democratic Leader in the House.     

A Republican-led House passed the law in 1999 requiring insurers to treat contraceptive prescriptions the same way they treat other prescriptions. SB175 passed the House 243-85, with 120 Republicans, 121 Democrats, and two Independents voting in favor of the measure.  It passed the Senate in similar bi-partisan fashion, and had four Republican co-sponsors.

"I voted for this law because it is about fairness and equity. Women deserve to have their prescriptions covered the same way other prescriptions, like Viagra, are covered," said Norelli.    

Lamontagne has already made clear that he will serve as a rubber stamp for Bill O'Brien's agenda, showing up last week to support their efforts to repeal same-sex marriage and collective bargaining rights for employees. Another Republican gubernatorial candidate, Kevin Smith, showed up at yesterday's Republican leadership press conference to support repealing birth control coverage for women.

"Ovide Lamontagne needs to tell us now: Does he stand with the Republican Leadership in the legislature or for fairness for the women of New Hampshire," added Norelli.

SMITH FOR GOVERNOR PUBLIC SCHEDULE: WEEK OF 2-13-12

Republican candidate for Governor, Kevin Smith, will be speaking at or attending the following events

for the week of 2-13-12:

Monday, February 13

1:30pm

*Attending*

NH House GOP Presser on Health Care mandates

LOB, Concord

5pm

*Attending*

Reception for Sens. DeBlois and Sanborn

The Draft, Concord

Tuesday, February 14

4:30pm

*Guest*

Drop the Gloves Radio Show

WLMW 90.7FM

Wednesday, February 15

7am

*Keynote Speaker*

Londonderry Rotary Club

Coach Stop Restaurant, Londonderry

7pm

*Keynote Speaker*

Sandown Republican Committee

320 Main St., Sandown

NHDP - How Far Do Lamontagne and Smith's Endorsements of the Reckless GOP State House Agenda Go?

Lamontange endorses ending Medicare in New Hampshire

Concord, NH - Republican candidates for Governor Kevin Smith and Ovide Lamontagne were in full support of the reckless agenda at the State House this week, including repeal of equal marriage rights and the wage killing so called right-to-work bill. In addition, in an op-ed for the Union Leader this morning, Lamontagne endorsed ending Medicare in New Hampshire as we know it. Just like Concord Republicans, he wants to take over control of Medicare by turning it into a block grant, making eligibility age increases and drastic cuts care a possibility every year.

"New Hampshire is already being sued by hospitals and disability rights advocates because of decisions made by the Tea Party politicians in Concord," said Harrell Kirstein, press secretary for the New Hampshire Democratic Party. "Are these really the ideologues that should be put at the switch and in control over our senior citizens' Medicare?"

Just like the Republican leadership in the State House, both Kevin Smith and Ovide Lamontang have made fringe social issues their priority. On Wednesday, Ovide Lamontange attended his first major public event of 2012, a sparsely attended rally outside the State House to repeal equal marriage rights for all citizens. Just days after announcing a run for Governor, Kevin Smith filed to be a lobbyist for the out of state anti-equal rights hate group the National Organization for Marriage.

Yesterday, both Smith and Lamontagne testified at the so called right-to-work hearing. But in a stark contrast to the so-called right to work states, New Hampshire's unemployment rate is significantly lower and New Hampshire's median income is nearly 20,000 dollars per year higher.  

"The question voters want to know now is how far do Ovide Lamontange and Kevin Smith's endorsements of O'Brien's reckless State House agenda go?" asked Kirstein. "Do they support....

• Teaching religion in public schools(HB 1457)?
• Giving out of state for profit hospitals special exemptions from New Hampshire laws(HB 1642)?
• Ending the 30 minute lunch break for workers who work more than five hours(HB 1574)?
• Cutting over 60 million dollars from public schools by opting out of No Child Left Behind(HB 1413 and 1517)?
• Ending Medicare, Medicare and the Children's Insurance Program in New Hampshire(HB1560)?

These aren't the values of New Hampshire voters. But they are part of the reason why O'Brien is the most unpopular elected official in the state and New Hampshire voters consider the Republican legislature the second biggest problem in the state. [UNH Poll, 02/07/2012; 02/08/2012]

"Instead of talking about jobs, the economy, or common sense solutions to the problems facing New Hampshire, Lamontagne and Smith spent the week paling around with Tea Party conservatives and helping them force their out of touch agenda on New Hampshire." continued Kirstein. "With Valentine's Day on Tuesday, Lamontange and Smith have some serious shopping to do this weekend to demonstrate their love of Speaker O'Brien's out of touch Tea Party agenda"