Join us August 1st from 7-9pm for a Summer Social at the home of Walter Hoermann. We will provide beverages and deserts. Special Guests to be announced.

The Rochester Democratic Committee now meets on the first Monday of each month.

Next Meeting
When: Monday, August 4th, 2008 at 6:30 PM
Where: Rochester Public Library, 65 S Main St Rochester

Printer friendly directions

Everyone is invited!

You would think that the only Republican in Strafford County to win a State Rep seat would not be attacked by her party! I guess they didn't get any message from this election!

Sunday, December 10, 2006
Chaos for Strafford Republicans Bickering, strife after Dem trouncing in November

By Chloe Johnson and Adam D. Krauss
Staff Writers ljohnson@fosters.com akrauss@fosters.com

Strafford County Republicans, stung by losses in November's elections, shook up their ranks in a divisive meeting Saturday.
County Finance Chairman Dan Philbrick, also a top Republican fundraiser in the area, has asked not to be renamed to his post with the county party, citing dismay at the intraparty feuding.
Rep. Julie Brown, R-Rochester, a longtime county delegate to the state party, was ousted from the delegation.
The November election saw Democrats take control of both chambers of the state's Legislature for the first time since 1874. Brown was one of only two Strafford County Republican Committee delegates to be voted into a Statehouse seat in the election. But she lost her spot on the county delegation nonetheless.
"It was the will of the people that I got in," she said after the meeting, referring to the November elections. "They voted for me, and (the delegation) resents it."
Brown has been a member of the delegation for 37 years, since 1959. She nominated herself for a committee seat this year.
It also was close for Strafford Sheriff Wayne Estes, who Brown said was in a three-way tie after the first vote, but won on the second ballot.
The annual meeting was held at the Gateway Family restaurant in Somersworth, where 70 to 80 people gathered and elected 37 delegates from various town contingents. The meeting ended at about noon.
Philbrick said Brown's loss showed "a total lack of respect for the position and a total disregard for protocol."
He has announced that he will not run for his post again, though he will continue to contribute to the committee as a member.
"I was very disappointed," he said. "I think it's an embarrassment to our committee."
He also said he would explore organizing a new political group with other like-minded Republicans.
He said those who didn't vote for Brown don't like the way she votes on certain issues. Philbrick added that he doesn't always agree with her either, but the public was on her side in November.
"We'll see what these new people do," he said.
Committee Chairman Charlie Reynolds, of Dover, also called voting out Brown wrong.
"Frankly, it's a serious breach of respect and protocol," he said. "It's unfortunate."
He said the move was lead by people who were "working behind the scenes."
He said it's a problem some people have a litmus test for other Republicans.
Others defended the results.
"I don't think anybody singled Julie Brown out," said Russ Albert, of Rochester, who was voted onto the committee. "... Sometimes you're going to get in, sometimes you're not."
"This was the will of the caucus, and you have to support the agenda," he added.
Cliff Newton, also on the committee, said "Nobody else is upset; just her."
He said she was tied in a first vote and was offered a coin toss. She demanded a revote.
"I think there's a vanity problem if she thinks she has to be elected to everything she runs for," he said.
Tom Kaczynski Jr., of Rochester, was voted in even though he's never served in office.
Referring to Brown's long tenure in a phone interview Saturday evening, he said, "37 years — I don't know, maybe they were looking for some new blood."
He said the party has to stick to its principles of limited government to regain power.
"We got pretty well beat and maybe some different strategy, new faces will help out," he said.
Early in the meeting, those in attendance spoke about November vote results, which they called disappointing, and their hopes of winning more GOP seats in the Legislature next time.
Wayne MacDonald, state party vice chairman, presided. He called for recruitment to the party and volunteerism for its next campaign.
"We need all of us," he said. "And we need everyone that you can involve in these next two years."
Dan Wensley, Strafford County committee member for the Rochester district, said the power shift within the party is not without historical precedent.
"For those of you who think we are in the wilderness for the first time, we've been there before," he said.
"Maybe not so deep in the woods," he added, inciting laughter.
He told those running for committee elections to "walk through the wilderness" so the party can prevail.
Russell Prescott, a Kingston resident who ran for the Executive Council, wasn't discouraged.
"It has energized us," he said. "People need more than ever to be active in the party and run for office for the good of New Hampshire."
Brown said she is concerned about how the public will react.
"I'm afraid the pettiness, the egos, and the anger was more than they can stand," she said.
She said she will no longer, after losing her spot on the delegation, have a vote on who represents the party and how contributions are spent. But she still will be a participant in the party's political life.
"They haven't learned we need to work together, and they're trying to decimate the party as far as I'm concerned," she said.
She said there was an organized plan against her.
"I believe it was a conspiracy... I believe they were jealous and bitter and angry because I was the only one left standing after the election," Brown said.

Finally now the Republicans won't block the discussions of getting rid of straight tickets! Straight tickets are the cause of the majority of corrupted ballots - it is time for them to go!

N.H. Democrats benefited from straight-ticket voting

By COLIN MANNING
N.H. Statehouse Writer
statehouse@fosters.com

CONCORD — You could say each Republican hopeful started more than 20,000 votes behind in last week's election.

Of the more than 416,000 people who cast ballots in the general election, 140,000 cast straight tickets and more than 83,000 were Democratic straight tickets, compared with fewer than 60,000 Republican ballots.

"Once the gates opened on Tuesday, because of the straight tickets, Republicans started the race behind," said Republican strategist Rich Killion....

We elected all Democrats! It's a great year to be a Dem!

Governor
John Lynch Democrat 166 Hopkins Green Hopkinton, NH 03229

Representative in Congress
Carol Shea-Porter Democrat 35 Fortier Drive Rochester, NH 03867

Executive Councilor District 2
John Shea Democrat 8 McIntire Road Nelson, NH 03457

State Senator 6
Jacalyn L. Cilley Democrat 2 Oak Hill Road Barrington, NH 03825

State Representative Strafford District 1
Deborah Billian Democrat 70 Franklin Heights Rochester, NH 03867
William P. Brennan Democrat 15 Hancock Street Rochester, NH 03867
George F. Brown Democrat 250 Chesley Hill Raod Rochester, NH 03867
Julie Brown Republican 414 Lilac City East Rochester, NH 03867
Anne C. Grassie Democrat 9 Central Avenue Rochester, NH 03867
Nancy Hildebrandt-Warren Democrat 101 Lowell Street Rochester, NH 03867
Pamela J. Hubbard Democrat 49 Ten Rod Road Rochester, NH 03867
Shawn Mickelonis Democrat 50 Woodland Green East Rochester, NH 03868
Robert J. Watson Democrat 11 Paradis Drive Rochester, NH 03867