Digging In

Steve Marchand is a former gubernatorial candidate and the founder of Move the Goalposts, dedicated to electing Democrats in competitive races to the NH House and SenateIn this conversation, Marchand discusses the political landscape in New Hampshire, focusing on the gubernatorial, congressional, executive council, and Senate races. He provides insights into the dynamics of each race, the candidates involved, and the factors that could influence the outcomes. Marchand emphasizes the importance of candidate quality, voter dynamics, and the impact of the gubernatorial race on down-ballot elections. He also shares predictions for the upcoming elections and highlights the significance of grassroots efforts in securing victories for Democratic candidates.Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

Kim Johnson, a candidate for the New Hampshire State House, discusses her background, family, and her reasons for running for the NH State House. She shares her experience in Moultonborough and her passion for education, particularly the issues of divisive concepts and the voucher system. Kim expresses her support for LGBTQ rights and women's reproductive health. She highlights the importance of local elections and the impact they have on people's daily lives. Kim is confident in her prospects for winning the election and making a positive difference in her district.Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

Kayla Hewitt is a young mother of four who made the decision to run for the NH State House after she started following school board meetings in her town of Wolfeboro. She is running as an independent in this race. Kayla talks about school education, reproductive rights, and book bans.Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

Bill Marsh, a retired ophthalmologist and former state representative, discusses his decision to run for Senate and his experiences in politics. He highlights his accomplishments in passing bipartisan bills, particularly in healthcare, during his time in the House. 'Marsh also explains his decision to switch party affiliation from Republican to Democrat, citing disagreements with the Republican Party's COVID policies. 'He discusses various issues, including educational freedom accounts, landfills, gas station regulations, cannabis legalization, and optometrists performing eye surgeries. Marsh expresses concerns about public health, access to healthcare, and the need for thoughtful legislation.Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

Effingham has a bad gas problem in the struggle over whether to enable a gas station to be built on a site that is ecologically unsound.David Smith, the co-founder of the Ossipee Lake Alliance; Tara Schroeder of the Green Mountain Conservation Group; and Bob Newton, a Professor Emeritus from Smith College and a groundwater technology expert, join Digging In to discuss the effort to build a gas station in Effingham. Attempts to build the gas station on this site have been a long saga, with building commencing prior to obtaining the necessary permits and challenges to building the gas station on what many argue will cause serious environmental harm. Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

Rep Lucy Weber is the Democratic House Floor Leader and parliamentarian. Parliamentary procedures are critical rules governing the NH House that can help pass or sink a given piece of legislation. The success of such maneuvering depends upon both parties' attendance in the House, which can change hourly. The majority at the time of the vote will typically win the day.Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

This week, Anita discusses recent votes in the NH House of Representatives and explores how the Republican Party manipulates their members votes. Anita digs into bills relating to cannabis sales, limiting consumers's exposure to PFAS, funding for the Office of the Child Advocate, support for public education, and the influence of money in politics. The episode highlights the power of dark money from out-of-state organizations and the pressure on representatives to vote in line with party leadership.Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

State Representative Erica Lyon, a Republican from Derry, discusses the cannabis bill in New Hampshire and the challenges of legalizing cannabis. She explains the reasons for supporting cannabis legalization, such as reducing harm from the illegal market and ensuring product quality. Lyon also discusses the resistance to cannabis legalization in New Hampshire compared to other states in New England. The conversation explores the role of the Liquor Commission in regulating cannabis and the debate between the franchise model and the agency store model. The future of the bill and the possibility of working together across party lines are also discussed.Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

This week. Steve Marchand joins Anita to discuss the importance of down-ballot elections and the impact of controlling the New Hampshire House. A former gubernatorial candidate, principal of SRM Consulting, and a great head for numbers, Marchand explains the relevance of the Partisan Voter Index and other predictive factors in the 2024 NH House races. They also explore the shifting political leanings in various districts, the impact of gerrymandering, and the potential impact of Kelly Ayotte's candidacy. The conversation highlights the importance of branding for Democrats and the success of bipartisan collaboration in ousting extremists. Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

Emmett Soldati, a candidate for the Executive Council, discusses his reasons for running, his legal battle with Facebook, and the controversy surrounding Drag Queen Story Hour. He also highlights key issues in the election and expresses hope for the future of New Hampshire politics.Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

Carlos Cardona, a candidate for state senate, shares his personal journey and political engagement. He discusses his experience growing up in Puerto Rico, coming out as gay, and reconciling with his family. Carlos also talks about his involvement in local politics and becoming a go-to person for political candidates. He shares his motivation for running for office and his plans to address issues such as homelessness and education. Carlos believes that the district is independent and not strictly Republican, and he aims to connect with voters and restore hope in government.Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

This is part II of our interview with State Representative Karen Ebel (New London) She discusses the dangers of PFAS, and her advocacy efforts to address the issue. PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (also known as 'forever chemicals'), are a group of chemicals found in everyday products that can have harmful health effects. Ebel emphasizes the importance of waste management and reducing the use of PFAS-containing products to prevent contamination. She highlights the need for legislation to ban PFAS in various consumer products, such as carpets, cosmetics, and food packaging. Ebel also discusses the impact of PFAS on wastewater and septic systems and the importance of testing drinking water for PFAS contamination. The discussion highlights ongoing efforts to pass legislation and implement measures to mitigate the impact of PFAS. It also emphasizes the need for education and awareness to drive change and encourages individuals to take action by avoiding the use of PFAS in products.Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

State Rep Karen Ebel (New London) discusses the dangers of PFAS, and her advocacy efforts to address the issue. PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (also known as 'forever chemicals'), are a group of chemicals found in everyday products that can have harmful health effects. Ebel emphasizes the importance of waste management and reducing the use of PFAS-containing products to prevent contamination. She highlights the need for legislation to ban PFAS in various consumer products, such as carpets, cosmetics, and food packaging. The discussion highlights ongoing efforts to pass legislation and implement measures to mitigate the impact of PFAS. It also emphasizes the need for education and awareness to drive change and encourages individuals to take action by avoiding the use of PFAS in products.Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

Today, Anita and Leonard Witt discuss the influence of the Young Americans for Liberty and the Free State Project on New Hampshire's state legislature. They explore the mission of these organizations, which aim to minimize government and undermine public education. The conversation delves into the impact of school choice vouchers and the lack of accountability in voucher programs.Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

Today we speak with 15-year-old aspiring journalist Quinn Mitchell, who made national news when he was ejected from a GOP summit after asking former candidate Ron DeSantis an uncomfortable question about January 6th. Governor Chris Christie called him America's most famous political teen. Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

Today on Digging In, we will speak with former NH state senator Jeanne Dietsch, the founder and Executive Director of Granite State Matters, whose mission is to educate New Hampshire voters about the dangers of extremists in our midst. Members of her group include Democrats, Independents, and Republicans concerned about the Free State Movement, who now play a significant role in the NH State House and in NH politics. Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

Today we speak with David Paige, a freshman lawmaker from Conway, and Airole Warden, the Project Manager for the Coos County Child Care Director's Network about the state of child care in New Hampshire. David and Airole address the challenges facing young families searching for affordable daycare in the Granite State, and recent strides to make more daycare slots available for working parents. Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

Today on Digging In, we speak with Linds Jakows, co-founder of 603 Equality, a NH organization working to connect, educate, and advocate for LGBTQ+ people across NH. We discuss the recent legislation in New Hampshire that will impact trans individuals, and explore the reasons for the proliferation of anti-trans sentiment across the country.Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

Today on Digging In, we take a look at the challenges that come with legalizing recreational cannabis in New Hampshire. Our guests, Tim Eagan, Advisory Chair of the NH Cannabis Association, and natural product chemist Dr. Riley Kirk, will discuss the importance of education and understanding the science behind cannabis. They address the potential long-term effects of daily cannabis use and the need for a diverse range of voices and representation in creating a legal framework in NH. And, they discuss their concerns about the franchise model for cannabis and how it could potentially lead to the loss of cannabis culture and community.Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

Today on Digging in, we resume our conversation with Rep Dave Luneau about the state public education in NH. Rep Luneau addresses standards for public education, rules for public school approval, and what constitutes an adequate education in the Granite State. Rep Luneau is a state representative from Hopkinton, who is know as an articulate champion of public edcuation in the Granite State. Listen to episode 6 for part one of our conversation with Dave Luneau.Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

Happy New Year!Today we speak with State Rep David Luneau from Hopkinton who is serving on the House Education Committee and has been a strong advocate for public education. Specifically we discuss Prager University, which in reality is no more of a university than Trump University. Prager is a well funded conservative organization which has embedded itself in NH public education with an online course on financial management. We Dig In as Dave talks about the danger of this organization, and why there is so much concern about their online programs. We will also talk about the controversial Education Freedom Accounts and why many NH legislators are paying careful attention to their increasing role in public education. This is part one of our conversation with Dave Luneau.Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

Today, We welcome Dover City Councilman, Robbie Warach, who talks about his community's efforts to end book banning at public libraries. Their work in that community has served as a model for other municipalities, and has influenced upcoming legislation for our state in 2024. We will Dig In to the trend we see nationally and in NH to ban books that citizens believe to be damaging to young people, including books they deem to be obscene or inappropriately promoting an LBGTQ+ lifestyle.Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

Former Carroll County Attorney Michaela Andruzzi talks about her role in prosecuting domestic violence cases in NH over the past six years. We'll Dig In to discuss how victims are being protected, and what is being done to lower the number of these crimes in NH. Close to 17% of high school students have reported being the victims of sexual violence in NH. And nearly 35% of Granite State Women have reported being victims of domestic violence. We learn how Andruzzi protected these victims in Carroll County with her groundbreaking work.Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

This week, we have a personal discussion about how PFAS is wreaking havoc in the lives of Granite Staters, particularly those living in close proximity to St. Gobain prior to the company moving out of state. Rep. Wendy Thomas knows intimately the potential impact of PFAS. She was diagnosed with cancer, which tests also showed high levels of PFAS in her system. Her husband, children and pets are also victims of PFAS, which was dumped into the environment by St, Gobain in Merrimack. She has also watched several of her neighbors die due to their proximity to the factory. We dig in with Wendy Thomas to talk about what is being done in NH to minimize the presence of PFAS, which is in hundreds of thousands of products that consumers use everyday.Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

The Speaker of the NH House manages 400 legislators in a process that is not dissimilar to conducting an orchestra. But what else is involved in the job, a job which has many parallels to the counterpart Washington? Steve Shurtleff, a state rep from Merrimack and former Speaker of the House, provides us a front row seat to that august body; and talks about the challenges of managing 400 representatives at each legislative session, as well as showing us what goes on behind the curtain. Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

Today on Digging in, we will discuss the work of the Citizens for Belknap County. A group of extremist legislators in Belknap County tried to shut down the Gunstock Ski Area. They did not anticipate the backlash that followed, including a strong rebuke from Gov. Sununu. A small bi-partisan group changed the political landscape in one fell swoop. This group was able to oust six extreme legislators in the 2022 election for the state house. They will tell us just how they went about this. Visit www.digginginnh.com for more information about this podcast and Anita Burroughs.

Welcome to Digging In, where we explore the world of NH Politics from a front seat in the House. No issue is off limits, no legitimate argument will be dismissed.Hosted by Anita Burroughs, a three term state representative.Every other week, we'll explore all things NH politics with the people who are influencing and changing the Granite State, and who will impact the way we live. If you're committed to the state we call home and want to better understand the process, roll up your sleeves with me...and dig in.Episodes start dropping November 1st, 2023!