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June 02. 2012 6:22PM
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, begins his keynote speech during the New Hampshire Democrat State Convention held at Manchester Memorial High School on Saturday. (Thomas Roy/Union Leader)
Democrats rally at state convention, consider party positions
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, begins his keynote speech during the New Hampshire Democrat State Convention held at Manchester Memorial High School on Saturday. (Thomas Roy/Union Leader)
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MANCHESTER — Voters have clear choices in elections this November, Democrats were told Saturday during a state convention that included an address by Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, but it was former state Sen. Jackie Cilley who drew a further line in the Democratic primary for governor.
Shortly after one of Cilley's primary opponents, former state Sen. Maggie Hassan, reiterated her pledge to veto any broad-based income or sales tax, to mild applause from the 600 or so in the auditorium at Manchester Memorial High School, Cilley received a huge roar after reiterating her pledge not to take "the Pledge."
“We do not use outhouses anymore. We do not use horses and buggies anymore. We do not light kerosene lamps anymore, and it is time for pledge politics to come to an end,” Cilley said. “We need an honest conversation about how we're going to fund our priorities, and we can't do it on wishful thinking.”
The third Democrat in the race, Bill Kennedy, has also refused to take the pledge and has proposed a broad-based income tax rate of 4 percent. The Republican candidates, Ovide Lamontagne and Kevin Smith, have each taken the Pledge.
Hassan attacked Lamontagne for, in her words, claiming to be an outsider in the race for governor after his loss in the 1996 gubernatorial election and his close loss to U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte in the 2010 Republican primary election.
“It's pretty hard to believe, considering that the only GOP event that he has ever been on the outside of is the victory party,” she said.
The event doubled as a pep rally for state Democrats and as a venue to adopt the party's positions on issues ranging from education to health care to same-sex marriage. It featured speeches from O'Malley, U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and several Democratic candidates for federal and state offices. There was also a tribute to Gov. John Lynch, who is not seeking reelection, and a goodbye speech from the four-term governor.
“My friends, we can hold our heads high and know that together we have made New Hampshire a better place, and I am proud of all we have done together,” Lynch said before receiving a long standing ovation.
O'Malley, chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, told the crowd that President Barack Obama has delivered 27 straight months of job growth. He said Republicans would return the country to the policies of former President George W. Bush, whom he blamed for the economic downturn, telling the crowd that people should refer to the “Bush” recession, deficits and job losses.
“When these folks say that they want to take us back, I think all of us should rightly ask, 'back to what?' I don't want to go back to those days. You know, nostalgia's not all it used to be,” O'Malley said.
Speaking to reporters after the event, O'Malley said he likely will be in New Hampshire, which he called a “battleground state,” more in the future helping campaign for Obama and state Democrats.
“New Hampshire will be a place where we will be in with both feet,” he said.
Shortly after one of Cilley's primary opponents, former state Sen. Maggie Hassan, reiterated her pledge to veto any broad-based income or sales tax, to mild applause from the 600 or so in the auditorium at Manchester Memorial High School, Cilley received a huge roar after reiterating her pledge not to take "the Pledge."
“We do not use outhouses anymore. We do not use horses and buggies anymore. We do not light kerosene lamps anymore, and it is time for pledge politics to come to an end,” Cilley said. “We need an honest conversation about how we're going to fund our priorities, and we can't do it on wishful thinking.”
The third Democrat in the race, Bill Kennedy, has also refused to take the pledge and has proposed a broad-based income tax rate of 4 percent. The Republican candidates, Ovide Lamontagne and Kevin Smith, have each taken the Pledge.
Hassan attacked Lamontagne for, in her words, claiming to be an outsider in the race for governor after his loss in the 1996 gubernatorial election and his close loss to U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte in the 2010 Republican primary election.
“It's pretty hard to believe, considering that the only GOP event that he has ever been on the outside of is the victory party,” she said.
The event doubled as a pep rally for state Democrats and as a venue to adopt the party's positions on issues ranging from education to health care to same-sex marriage. It featured speeches from O'Malley, U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and several Democratic candidates for federal and state offices. There was also a tribute to Gov. John Lynch, who is not seeking reelection, and a goodbye speech from the four-term governor.
“My friends, we can hold our heads high and know that together we have made New Hampshire a better place, and I am proud of all we have done together,” Lynch said before receiving a long standing ovation.
O'Malley, chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, told the crowd that President Barack Obama has delivered 27 straight months of job growth. He said Republicans would return the country to the policies of former President George W. Bush, whom he blamed for the economic downturn, telling the crowd that people should refer to the “Bush” recession, deficits and job losses.
“When these folks say that they want to take us back, I think all of us should rightly ask, 'back to what?' I don't want to go back to those days. You know, nostalgia's not all it used to be,” O'Malley said.
Speaking to reporters after the event, O'Malley said he likely will be in New Hampshire, which he called a “battleground state,” more in the future helping campaign for Obama and state Democrats.
“New Hampshire will be a place where we will be in with both feet,” he said.