Schaefer unseats Ploszaj in close Belknap 1 election

The Belknap County Delegation had a massive shakeup after Tuesday’s election, including in District 1, where Amber Schaefer unseated longtime Rep. Tom Ploszaj (R-Center Harbor). who was vying for a fourth term.

It was a close vote, with Schaefer winning by 64 votes at 1,036-972. It was especially close in Center Harbor, with a 331-328 victory. She won more convincingly in New Hampton, with a 705-644 vote.

“I feel really positive about the whole experience,” said Schaefer, who is now one of nine Democrats representing Belknap County in the Statehouse. “I am proud of our community to show up and vote, and I’m very thankful to be entrusted with their support to represent them.”

Schaefer said the voters spoke clearly about priorities, and said she's hopeful that they, as a legislative body, can deliver.

Schaefer said it was a “very close vote,” and she sincerely appreciates everyone who showed up to the polls to cast a ballot.

“Every vote really counted,” she said. “It could have gone either way, just by choosing not to come.”

She said, regardless of who they voted for, the act of exercising their civic freedom was important, and she's happy they sent her to Concord, for her first term.

Schaefer admits she is new to the whole process, and now it's time for her to get involved, start learning, and “figuring out my place in this whole arena.”

“I am motivated and excited to contribute, but I need to do some learning from the get-go,” she said.

In what has been described by some as a “Blue Tsunami,” Democrats unseated Republicans across the state and the county.

A clear example is in nearby Belknap 6, where three of the four seats are now Democratic. Rep. David Nagel (D-Gilmanton) retained his seat, while Rep. Glen Aldrich (R-Gilford) lost a bid for his sixth term in office, and Democratic newcomers Bob McLean and Lisa Rivard of Gilford were elected. Jade Wood, a Republican from Gilford, was also elected to the Statehouse to serve residents of Gilford, Gilmanton and Laconia's Ward 2.

In District 5, representing the rest of Laconia, Rep. Mike Bordes (R-Laconia) did retain his seat, but Democrats Marcia Hayward, Eric Hoffman and Denise Riley were also voted in. In Belknap 2, Democrat Seth Wheeler joins Rep. Matt Coker (R-Meredith) in the two seats. Coker is a former Democrat who has identified as being more centrist, and looking out for constituent services over party.

The slew of Democrats elected, and the unseating of Republicans such as Ploszaj, has led to an even 9-9 split in Belknap County. Before the election, that number was at 14-1, after the deaths of Reps. Harry Bean (R-Gilford) and Charlie St. Clair (D-Laconia), and the resignation of Rep. Matt Lunney (R-Meredith).

“I think people are recognizing that the state has been under majority Republican leadership rule for most of the last 10 years,” Schaefer said. “I am the first Democrat to be elected in 10 years in my district.”

She said those who were in power the last decade are not committed to areas of concerns affecting the state’s residents. Schaefer pointed to affordability being the main thing on everyone’s mind, specifically property taxes and the price of housing. She said there are barriers for people who both own homes and rent.

Working families are concerned about money, but in Belknap County there are also the natural resources to protect. She said lake and water quality as a whole is paramount, and she looks to enact legislation to help for the future.

Public school funding is an area of concern, and she wants to make sure the institution is kept healthy, “for now and for the future.”

Schaefer thinks the general public has been calling for change across the board, and was happy to see voters get to the polls in full force. Now it is time to produce “tangible results from the beginning,” and that's true on both the state and national level, she said.

“I think we have a mandate ahead of us to fulfill expectations,” Schaefer said. “I think we can produce a result that will make people feel glad that directions have changed.”

Ploszaj, who was the sole Belknap County incumbent seeking reelection who lost, was disappointed in losing the election, but credited Schaefer for a strong campaign and wished her luck in the new role.

“It was a close race, and Amber did work hard on that,” Ploszaj said. “She came out early, and I came out later.”

Ploszaj wasn’t surprised about big wins for the Democrats, saying when he was knocking on doors on the campaign trail he “knew something was off.” With six years under his belt, he was getting a feeling a change could be ahead, based on voter comments.

“I felt it on the streets, and I think it wasn’t our state candidates, but it was a reply to what is going on nationally with the war and the economy,” Ploszaj said. “It was a pushback to whoever is in power.”

Despite a close race, Ploszaj said he had no intention on requesting recount. There was a 5 p.m. deadline on Friday to do so, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.

“I’m confident with our district’s accuracy of the tallies,” he said.

Ploszaj said “never say never” when it comes to making a future run at the Statehouse. He enjoyed representing his constituents, who in New Hampshire are neighbors you see all the time. He said he always worked to represent them, rather than the party or an agenda.

Ploszaj said he complained for years politicians who got elected forgot about the voters, and for six years he had a chance to serve. He was proud of his time in office.

“I really did enjoy it,” Ploszaj said. “I really liked responding to my constituents.”