Flotsam & Jetsam

Rapid candidate movementNothing apparently gets Republican opponents on the same page faster than the mere mention if the name “Tom Alciere.”You may remember Alciere, the former Republican state rep from Nashua who was exposed not long after his election as a blogger who openly called for the killing of cops, along with other similar, but less odious, proclamations.This time the attention-seeking Alciere got his name in the news by filing to run as a delegate at the state GOP convention.Of course, it took Ray Buckley, chair of the state Democratic Party, about as much time as it takes Mike Bloomberg to chug down an 8-ounce Diet Coke to call on Republican gubernatorial hopefuls Ovide Lamontagne and Kevin Smith to denounce Alciere.Faster than you can say, “Ovide Lamontagne and Kevin Smith should denounce this man and his ignorant, detestable words immediately. The fact that the two major GOP candidates for governor have yet to do so and that the state Republican Party would allow his candidacy at all is shameful. Ovide and Kevin should stand up against this anti-law enforcement and dangerous rhetoric at once and refuse to give him a platform,” Lamontagne and Smith denounced Alciere, quickly, decisively and vigorously.While it may have seemed to be a pretty rapid response (for the record, Smith replied before Lamontagne), Buckley’s implication that it had been days, if not weeks, without a reply from the two Republicans is, for want of a better word, somewhat disingenuous. In fact, it’s more than probable they didn’t even know about Alciere’s bid until the Democrats issued their press release.In fact, Buckley’s challenge to challenge Alciere appeared only after a reporter tweeted the news earlier on the same day that the Demo chair demanded that the Republicans say something about it.Map inquestYou may not have been following the redistricting comings and goings over the past legislative session, but one of the more intriguing melodramas was the decision by the Republican majority to essentially cede the 2nd Executive Council District to the Democrats in exchange for what they view as making the other four seats safer for their party.The full results of the Executive Council redistricting won’t be known until Nov. 6, but already it’s taken its toll with the decision by Republican Executive Councilor Dan St. Hilaire not to run for a second term.While St. Hilaire was using some hyperbole in explaining his decision, his claim that the change essentially creates “a Democratic super-district” isn’t too far off the mark. Consider that the district not only includes Concord, but now has Durham and Keene in the mix. Net result: Not an easy ride for a Republican candidate.Depending on who emerges as the GOP contender in the district, it does appear that Democrat Colin Van Ostern – who’s been itching for the seat since the council’s decision last year to cut off funding for Planned Parenthood – will have an easier time of it than, say, a Democrat in Executive Councilor Ray Burton’s District 1. But, as they say, you’ve still got to play the game.Snitch Corner:Right on schedule, Snitcherinos, Maggie No Labels Hassan’s peeps have got the behind-the-back/who me? whispering campaign in full gear. Target: Professor Jackie.The ammo? What else? Tax-and-spend, blah-blah-blah. Kind of stuff that’s N.H. Politics 101. Let’s take that back — it’s the remedial course.They’re going full bore after Professor J and her refusal to take the pledge. Kinda makes sense. Kinda doesn’t. Considering it is a Dem primary. And considering that Maggie No Labels doesn’t exactly have no-tax immunity from being kicked off the island come November, if she gets that far.Six letters: LLC tax. Memory serves that it was No Labels herself who worked to usher that baby through — and we know that was about as welcome by biz types as the 2008 financial crisis. Maybe less.Imagine Ovide The Mountain or Kornerstone Kevvy Smith with that ammo?Take cover.*****Snitch got a kick t’other day hearing about how Andrew Not Ernest Hemingway has once again landed on his feet, political job-wise.This time it’s with some PAC he cutely calls “4RG,” as in “For a Republican Governor.”Since he’s not taking sides in the Ovide the Mountain-Kornerstone Kevvy slugfest, it’s pretty easy to figure out the real name of this baby should be 4AH, dontcha think?Snitch’s Words to the WiseDon’t accept your dog’s admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful.It’s been making the rounds … • Considering the way newly named House Majority Leader Peter Silva reacted to the failed school-funding amendment it appears he didn’t quite understand how the GOP won that super-majority in the House, did he? He does now. • When something goes wrong, some people blame themselves, others blame everyone else. Guess where House Speaker Bill O’Brien is on that spectrum when it comes to the failed school-funding amendment? • What’s the over/under on how many House members decide that they’ve had enough and won’t run again? • Think there’s any pressure on Ray Buckley to do more than a little better than 2010 this go-round?F&J Tote Board:Charlie Bass: The 2nd District congressman files for re-election, setting up one of the more interesting, and competitive races in November against Democrat Ann McLane Kuster.Stacie Laughton: The Nashua resident files paperwork to run for the New Hampshire House — the first openly transgender person to do so.Kevin Smith: The GOP gubernatorial hopeful wins the endorsement of former state GOP chair Wayne Semprini.Joel Maiola: The 2010 chair of the Republicans for Lynch committee — and former longtime right-hand man to Judd Gregg — returns to the GOP fold with an endorsement of Ovide Lamontagne. Now four of the high-profile GOP Lynch supporters — Bernie Streeter, Griffin Dalianis and Steve Griffin are the others — are in Ovide’s corner.Bev Hollingworth: The Democrat, former Senate president and former executive councilor decides to go for another round in her Seacoast Senate district. Is she doing it of her own volition or did they plead with her to run against a formidable GOP Sen. Nancy Stiles?Dave Campbell: The six-term rep from Nashua says he’s all set to take on Terie Norelli to be Dem leader next session. It will be his second try.