By Dylan Marsh
EAGLE TIMES STAFF
CLAREMONT- Former Claremont Mayor, Charlene Lovett, has returned to the political arena. A lifelong Republican, Lovett has crossed party lines and will be running as a Democratic candidate for the New Hampshire Senate District 8 chair.
“I’ve been a republican my whole life, but it’s changed a lot since earlier years. I made the decision after January 6th. What I saw was very disturbing to me. I never thought I’d see something like that in my country, it was appalling,” described Lovett of the inciting reason for her new political ideology.
Lovett is no stranger to political and public service. After serving in the military for 22 years, Lovett returned to Claremont and wanted to repay the community she says was instrumental in her successes. Initially serving on the Claremont School Board in 2009, Lovett ran for State Representative on the Republican ticket and won a seat. She served in the House of Representatives between 2011-2012, voting along party lines on issues like gun rights, gay marriage, and abortion. Lovett was elected to City Council in 2014 and as the Mayor of Claremont in 2016, a position she held until 2021 when she stepped down.
“The party has left me behind,” Lovett said of the Republican Party.
State legislation that has affected cities like Claremont has galvanized Lovett’s decision to return to politics. Lovett cited the recent decision to close the Claremont location of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England as a major factor in her run for State Senate.
“When the Executive Council turned down the contracts for PPNNE funding that would have gone to Claremont the first time I was energized, and I contacted Joe Kenny. He cited an RSA even though the Department of Health and Human Services bent over backwards to say that public funds were not being used for abortions. I thought maybe we will go at it from a different angle and talk to Valley Regional. I put together a fact sheet, contacted professionals within the healthcare community to make sure I was accurate. When I presented it there wasn’t even a discussion about it, they just voted it down,” said Lovett.
Lovett’s time as Mayor also had its hand guiding her new policy. As mayor, you are put in a position of working several different local organizations. Lovett mentioned speaking with those groups and learning of their experiences can change your perspective. It was also her time in this position that helped make it more clear how state legislation affects small communities. It is with this new perspective that Lovett has not only changed party lines, but her stance on policy as well.
Included in her stance on policy is her approach to abortion laws. A topic that has recently seen a lot of discourse after an apparent Supreme Court draft was leaked which made the clear intention to repeal abortion rights federally.
“Government needs to be out of it. It is a private decision between the people involved and their health care provider. States are trying to pass these laws and it’s not fair to women,” Lovett said of her stance on abortion rights.
Affordable and accessible health care, affordable housing, and public education are some of the other issues at hand Lovett intends to focus her time on should she be elected to State Senate. In regard to an action plan, Lovett would like to see a stronger government partnership with local communities on the state level.
The New Hampshire Senate District 8 seat has been held by Republicans for several years now. The district was recently redrawn and encompasses sections of Cheshire, Hillsborough, Merrimack and Sullivan counties. This includes the city of Claremont and 19 other New Hampshire towns.
“Parties are trying to give themselves an advantage rather than the people, when redrawing the maps,” Lovett said of the recent redrawing of congressional lines.
As far as the seat being historically held by Republicans, Lovett says that it isn’t a party delineation that will decide how people vote, but rather the right candidate.
“People want the right individual, with the right experience, and the right focus. Someone who is willing to work together for solutions and willing to listen to what the people have to say,” Lovett said of her campaign.
As your daily newspaper, we are committed to providing you with important local news coverage for Sullivan County and the surrounding areas.