Londonderry Democrats celebrate historic election win

By APRIL GUILMET
Union Leader Correspondent

Published Dec 11, 2012 at 3:00 am (Updated Dec 10, 2012)

LONDONDERRY - As Londonderry's first elected Democratic state representative in more than 100 years, Lisa Whittemore made history at last month's elections. Sworn into office late last week, Whittemore said she's hoping to also make some lasting, positive changes in her community and state in the coming years.

During the Londonderry Democrats' annual holiday brunch on Saturday morning at the Coach Stop Restaurant, those who helped Whittemore along the way met her warmly.

Whittemore, a former education reporter who sits on the Londonderry Budget Committee, said she knows she has challenging days ahead.

"I do understand my title is state representative, and I'm a representative for a very moderate community at that," Whittemore said on Saturday. "But I've always had a great relationship with most of our delegation, and we get along just fine."

As a Hungarian child who grew up watching black-and-white news footage of a revolution on distant shores, Whittemore said she'd often ask her adoptive parents what the fighting was all about.

"My parents told me those people wanted to be free," she recalled.

With a Republican mother and Democrat father, the conversations around the dinner table were quite memorable over the years.

Whittemore said the overall experience helped give her the ability to hear out both sides, something she strives to do to this day.

Moving to Londonderry in 1973, she lobbied for various issues and served on the town's school board.

Whittemore said she's a strong supporter of the Affordable Care Act, which deeply affected her family over the past year. Eighteen months after the family's Cobra coverage expired, her husband, Robert, was diagnosed with cancer.

"He'd wanted to wait until his Medicare coverage kicked in," Whittemore explained. "But with the Affordable Health Care Act, we were able to get on insurance despite Robert's pre-existing condition. He got the care he needed, and we didn't have to worry about the rising costs."

As a state representative, Whittemore vows to continue supporting affordable health care in the Granite State. She's also working on a bill that would make it mandatory for insurance money to be sent directly to the town following residents' ambulance trips.

As it stands now, insurance companies pay their clients' ambulance fees by sending a check directly to the patient.

"People don't always understand that this money is intended to pay their ambulance bill," said Whittemore. "So right now, there's a disconnect between the service provider and the patient."

Fellow Londonderry Democrats said they're excited about what the coming term will bring.

"It was a historic moment, for sure . and Lisa will do great things, for sure," Committee Chairman Tammy Siekmann said. Longtime committee member Marilyn Hoffman said she never thought she'd see a local Democrat at the State House.

"This is our first lobbying event with someone who can actually represent us in Concord," Hoffman said. "Lisa will speak for me, and hopefully we'll see some budget restoration and reasonable state government next year."

Later, the local Democrats honored another one of their own with the presentation of the first ever Fran Gehling Award.

Honoring the late Fran Gehling, an active party volunteer who perished in a house fire in April 2011, the award will be given annually to a local Democrat who embodies Gehling's strong sense of community activism. This year's award recipient was Jerry Connor.

"He literally put up every sign and took every sign down," said Siekmann. "He's been the backbone of so much for so many years."

aguilmet@newstote.com

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Michael Layon said:

I LOVE irony and this story epitomizes it! The comment, "My parents told me those people wanted to be free," is presented so as to make one think Ms Whittemore actually values freedom and/or aspires to restore it here in New Hampshire. NOTHING could be further from the truth! Not only does Ms. Whittemore not value freedom, she has already demonstrated ignorance of both the US and NH constitutions with her commitment to the fascist obamacare (PPACA). Further, she does not understand healthcare! The PPACA has NOT reduced the cost of healthcare and was never intended to reduce costs, only to increase access. Ms Whittemore ought to start reading legislation so as to prevent future misinformed statements. Her comment about a disconnect between patient and provider further highlights that she did not ever read the PPACA!!! Further, not all insurance companies send checks for ambulance rides to patients. Finally, Ms Whittemore has revealed her fiscal aspirations with the comment, "...we didn't have to worry about the rising costs." That is ALWAYS true when you spend someone else's money.
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ken hajjar said:

To Mr. Layon; Do you know Lisa Whittemore? I doubt it. How then are you able to make such personal allegations; that she doesn't value freedom, that she has demonstrated ignorance of the constitution. Pretty strong words, don't you think? Do you actually think? Or are you, as you seem to demonstrate here, a loudmouth who confuses opinion for fact.Your dispute with her views says more about you than it does about her. Are you a constitutional scholar? Again, I doubt it. So what we're really dealing with here is that you have a different OPINION on these issues.I do know Ms. Whittemore and have always found her to be open minded, reasonable, conservative to moderate in issues of public funding and finance and, most of all RESPECTFUL, a quality that you, Mr. Layon need to acquire if you would like anyone to take you seriously.Good day,sir.
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Beth Kaczmarski said:

Well said Mr. Hajjar! It sickens me to hear or read such ignorance and defamation born from fear and ignorance. Like Representative Whittemore's sentiment that there is a place at every table for healthy debate, I also believe we can maintain respect and empathy for others and still not agree on all topics and if we could manage to all be civil, we would be better for it. My best wishes to Representative Whittemore for her continued service to her community for all the right reasons and for her courage in facing diversity and ignorance. Her hill to climb is tall and steep, but her will to move forward has been a corner stone of her integrity and she has set an excellent example to all our daughters and sons! God Bless!
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Michael Layon said:

Ken I do not know Lisa, nor you, nor Beth. I read the article above, did either of you? While I am confident Lisa is a great person, her political aspirations are NOT congruent with freedom. That is not opinion, that is fact based on Lisa's statement's from the article. As for being a constitutional scholar KEn, I would never bestow such a title on myself, even though our President did when nothing could be further from the truth. Tell you what, call me on it! I will debate Lisa, you , Beth or any elected official (federal, state or local anytime anywhere. (skydive009@yahoo.com) I spend much of my time outside of work reading legislation, both past, present and proposed. FAct of the matter when it comes to freedom is that Obamacare exsanguinates it by growing the size and scope (and cost burden) of the federal government and by removing personal responsibility and choice. Further, how can someone who grew up in a country where genocide has happened in the last century, support the creation of two new armies? IF you don;t know what I am talking about, then read the PPACA before you label me ignorant! As for driving a wedge between patients and providers, maybe one of you can explain how interjecting multiple secretaries into the scenario brings the patient and physician any closer? I am just a lowly PhD who has worked in biomedical research my entire adult life. The two physicians I am sitting next to at MGH right now however cannot fathom how putting the power of choice in an accountants hand helps them help patients. Maybe one of you two geniuses can explain it for us? It will be a good day when people realize freedom is not free and fight for it rather than against it!
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Londonderry Democrats celebrate historic election win

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