Redistricting, Gunstock saga contribute to upsets in Belknap GOP primary races

The results from Tuesday’s primaries are in. At the state and county level, they show a dramatic uptick in the level of competitiveness for the primary, and an unusual saliency of county-specific issues in the campaign.

When it comes to competition, a comparison to the 2020 primaries — where 10 of the 18 current state representatives from Belknap County were elected as challengers — is telling.

In 2020, only three of the county’s nine house districts had contested Republican primaries. This year, all but one Republican primary was competitive.

The vast majority of State Senate primaries — for both Republican and Democratic nominees statewide — were uncontested in 2020, as well. For the State Senate District 2 primary, now covering all but two towns in the county, three candidates competed in what proved to be a tight race. 

Not only were more races contested this year, but they were competitive, and incumbents had to work to defend their nominations. 

In the last cycle, only two incumbent Belknap state representatives were defeated in primaries. This year’s voters unseated four incumbents, notably including the — until recently — chair of the Belknap County Delegation, Rep. Mike Sylvia of Belmont, and the current chair of the Belknap County Republican Committee, Rep. Norm Silber of Gilford.

Challengers won big in the new Belknap District 6: all were nominated — alongside Rep. Harry Bean — besting three incumbents.

First-time candidate David Nagel of Gilmanton said he was thrilled with the result and the opportunity nomination presents. He also complimented the high levels of turnout in Gilford and Gilmanton, recognizing that constituents sent a message that they were unsatisfied with the status quo on the delegation, especially regarding Gunstock Mountain Resort.

“I like to think people voted for me because of who I am versus who I am not,” Nagel said. He knows it is a mix of both, but said he was proud to be able to share with voters his history, mission and message.

Successful challenger Russell Dumais said was pleased with the results, adding that “I think Belknap County has been a stronghold for the Free Stater movement, and I think the change that occurred is the voters realizing what that means.” There are two confirmed members of the Free State Project that currently represent the county in the Legislature: Rep. Glen Aldrich of Gilford and Sylvia.

Four-term incumbent Aldrich, who has identified himself as a member of the Free State Project, was not renominated with just under 10% of the vote. The other defeated incumbents in this race, Rep. Gregg Hough of Laconia and Silber, are not Free Staters. Aldrich could not be reached for comment.

Midterm primary elections typically have lower turnout than those in presidential election years, so the level of competition and incumbent turnover in this year’s primary is striking.

In this race, incumbent state representatives ran on — or had to defend — their record not just as state legislators, but as members of the county delegation. In the last year, the delegation’s actions to reduce the budget of the county nursing home by a third, to appoint controversial Gunstock Area Commissioners, then to subsequently step in and see the ouster of one of those commissioners to shield the mountain from legal action all caught voters’ attention. 

The 10 representatives who attended an emergency Aug. 1 county delegation meeting — which brought about the reopening of the ski area after its management resigned over tensions with the commission and David Strang in particular — ran on that action.

They walked the Gilford Old Home Day Parade carrying a large banner reading “We saved Gunstock.” Bean — now chair of the delegation, who led the Aug. 1 meeting — wrote a letter to the editor on Election Day listing those who attended the meeting. He was the top vote-getter in his district’s packed primary.

“I was awestruck that that many people put their confidence in me,” Bean said of his victory. “I’m going to do the best that I can to meet their expectations if I am elected in the general.”

All but one of the 10 delegates who, as they put it, “saved Gunstock” were successful in their primaries. 

Hough was the only one of the Aug. 1 attendees who failed to win a nomination. 

He was also the only member not to receive an endorsement from the local political action committee Citizens for Belknap, a group describing itself as nonpartisan and founded on concerns about county issues — including the nursing home budget and the ski mountain scrum — that mobilized voters against members of the delegation it deemed to be “extremists.” The PAC handed out a “voters guide” of their endorsed candidates at every polling station in the county on Tuesday.

“I’d like to congratulate all of the Republicans on their primary victories and urge everyone to come out on Nov. 8, and once again show your support for them in the general election,” Hough said in a written statement to The Daily Sun. He had no further comment.

Hough was appointed assistant majority whip by Majority Leader Rep. Jason Osborne of Auburn on Friday. 

Bean said he was saddened to see Hough not among those renominated, and didn’t understand what had prevented voters from supporting him.

Of the four delegation incumbents who were unseated, three opposed the emergency meeting. 

Notably, Silber — the only delegation member not to pledge against leasing Gunstock to a private corporation — finished last in a field of seven competitors in his district. Despite his status as chair of the county Republicans, Silber was the lowest vote-getter by percentage in any seat in the delegation, winning support from just 7% of voters in his district. 

Sylvia has been vocal about his belief that the Aug. 1 meeting and its actions were illegal and that there was malfeasance by Gunstock’s senior management. Sylvia was defeated in a two-to-one margin by fellow incumbent Rep. Travis O’Hara, who attended the Aug. 1 meeting.

Silber said he had no comment on the results. Sylvia could not be reached for comment. 

Only one state House candidate endorsed by the PAC, David Hershey of Alton, was unsuccessful in their primary bid. In District 7 representing Alton and Barnstead, incumbent Reps. Barbara Comtois, Paul Terry and Peter Varney narrowly fended off Hershey’s challenge. Hershey could not be immediately reached for comment.

Terry said he is “very gratified with the vote of confidence the voters in the Republican primary in Alton and Barnstead" gave him. Comtois and Varney did not respond to requests for comment.

Rep. Dawn Johnson of Laconia, who did not attend the Aug. 1 meeting, was renominated alongside fellow incumbents Mike Bordes and Richard Littlefield, who were in attendance.

Johnson said she is “excited and pleased that the citizens of Laconia” renominated her. Littlefield said he was happy with the result and grateful for those who supported him. 

“Belknap County as a whole sent a strong message that they want people that will listen to their constituents in a responsible way and do what’s right for the citizens,” Bordes said.

There were no contested Democratic races for state House in the county. Republican nominees now advance to face their Democratic counterparts as well as independent candidates in the Nov. 8 general election.