Merrimack 3rd Party Candidate's Mailer Promotes Opponents: Watch

MERRIMACK, NH — A third party candidate running in the special election state representative race to replace former Speaker of the House Dick Hinch, who died of COVID-19 in December 2020, is taking a positive approach to campaigning — by promoting his opponents, too.

Stephen Hollenberg, who is running as an American Solidarity Party candidate, is funding a town-wide mailer touting his candidacy as well as former state Rep. Wendy Thomas, the Democrat, and Bill Boyd, a current town councilor who is the Republican candidate.

Campaigns spending money to talk about their opponents is not such a strange thing. But more often than not, it is an attack ad or misinterpretation of something, a twist and nearly always negative. It is never a positive. Hollenberg though believes the country is so split apart, based on the divide perpetuated and promoted by some members of the two major political parties, that someone has to do something to end the hatred by neighbors who, not that long ago, would fight on the battlefield of ideas but then, end that skirmish when returning to normal life.

To play his part, Hollenberg put together the mailer. He used materials from his opponents' websites and then, sent it to them for approval. Hollenberg hoped it would persuade voters in Merrimack not to vote against any of the three candidates but, instead, vote for the best person to fill the seat.

"I want people to vote for a candidate instead of against a candidate," Hollenberg said. "Elections should be a positive thing. We have to stop the fighting. It is the biggest threat to our country."

Hollenberg mentioned the attack on the Capitol in Washington, D.C., and how some people involved were wearing T-shirts promoting another civil war. That kind of thinking, he said, was dangerous to preserving the Republic. Instead, Hollenberg wants to find common ground between voters and all parties. And that common ground starts in New Hampshire.

"If we don't fix this divide," he said, "then that kinda thing could come about and that's a huge threat to our country."

Hollenberg said the party focuses on life, peace, and the planet while attempting to find a balance. On an issue like background checks on gun purchases, he can see both sides. Since his parents were missionaries to Papua New Guinea, where guns were illegal, those laws did not end the violence — people killed each other with machetes, knives, and other weapons. And yet, in a country like Switzerland, with very few gun laws, a lot of people have them and there is little-to-no violence.

"There is something going on there, in their country, that is different than ours," he said.

On an issue like taxes, Hollenberg opposes sales and income taxes. But he understands the importance of using taxes as a tool to fund public policies. He said he disagreed with the governor vetoing a policy like paid family leave — because it promotes the preservation of life principles. Hollenberg said the bill was "such a small amount, too," is drawn from a payroll tax, and was "literally pennies for someone working on minimum wage … it should have been supported."

The American Solidarity Party was formed in 2011 and bills itself as a center-left fiscal and center-right social party with a motto of "Common Good, Common Ground, Common Sense." Its 2020 presidential candidate, Brian Carroll, was on the ballot in nine states and territories with writer-ins tracked in other states. He received around 39,000 votes.

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NH GOP 'March Madness' 'Stunt' Helps Raise Money For Dem

The NH GOP held a satirical "March Madness" runoff on Twitter entitled "NH DEMS' MADNESS 2021." Each day, the party allowed people to vote on the "most out-of-touch" Democrats.

The First Annual NHGOP Dems' Madness is LIVE!

Each day this week we'll run Twitter polls between various New Hampshire Democrats - vote for the most out-of-touch Democrat there is!

Polls close in our first round tonight at 10 PM - happy voting!#nhpolitics pic.twitter.com/PL5PC1wJKA
— NHGOP (@NHGOP) March 22, 2021

It was relatively homemade, at first, but then, someone gave the party a bit of graphic design advice and souped it up.

Congratulations to the winners! @WendyENThomas and @frostnhstaterep are heading to the CHAMPIONSHIP tomorrow!

Voting opens at 10 am - who do you think will win? #nhpolitics https://t.co/cPi3rb7Oda pic.twitter.com/cbxIFCqVjQ
— NHGOP (@NHGOP) March 26, 2021

But as it came down to the final candidates, Democrats turned the tables — and began using the "stunt," as one of the finalists, Thomas, called it, to raise money.

At the end of the runoff, Thomas' campaign coffers were about $4,000 fuller, she said.

"The NHGOP did a great job in helping me fundraise," she said. "By drawing attention to my race, they sent volunteers and thousands of dollars in donations my way. I'm grateful for the free publicity, but I'm even more grateful for all of the hardworking Granite Staters who are committed to this campaign."

Thomas has also received the endorsement of EMILY's List and SEA/SEUI Local 1984, the state employee's association.

New Hampshire PAC Backs Boyd

A New Hampshire-based political action committee is backing Boyd in the upcoming special election.

NH Advantage PAC was formed by Corky Messner, the former U.S. Senate candidate Republican nominee for 2020 who was unsuccessful in challenging incumbent U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH). He filed with the secretary of state's office in January and told media outlets he would be working with others to promote Republican candidates in a positive manner.

The PAC's motto is "Limited, effective and efficient government, low taxes, and respect for liberty and justice for all."

Messner did not return an email seeking comment about the PAC's backing of Boyd. But he did tell other press outlets that the special election in Merrimack would be a test run.

Voters in Merrimack go to the polls on April 13.

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