Two candidates who emphasize environmental concerns but differ on abortion rights will square off in the midterm election for an open New Hampshire Senate seat.
Littleton businesswoman Carrie Gendreau, a Republican, is facing off against Rep. Edith Tucker, D-Randolph, who has served in the NH House since 2016. They’re vying for the District 1 Senate seat, which now stretches from Pittsburg to Piermont and Errol to Ellsworth.
Tucker has pointed to her record on environmental issues during her time in office. In the most recent session, she co-sponsored a bill that would have required landfills to be placed far enough away from any source of drinking water that contamination would take five years to seep through the soil. Republican Gov. Chris Sununu vetoed the bill, and the Senate upheld the veto.
Tucker said she remains committed to protecting drinking water and the environment in the towns of Littleton, Whitefield and Twin Mountain. A proposed dump site in Dalton has been the subject of controversy in the past couple years, as residents and environmental activists have spoken out about possible contamination.
Gendreau has owned Emma & Co. Consignment on Main Street in Littleton since 2008 and ran the business with her daughter until they sold it in 2020. A born-again Christian, Gendreau said she believes that “abortion is murder” and sees no need for exceptions in cases of rape and incest because those are “rare.”
Former District 1 incumbent Erin Hennessey, a Republican from Littleton, left her seat representing most of Coos and part of Grafton County in June to become deputy secretary of state. Although most recently in Republican hands, the seat has flipped between the parties over the years, but a Tucker victory would do little to move the political needle in the Republican-controlled Senate.
The candidates agreed that New Hampshire depends on a healthy environment to nurture the people and economy of District 1, which covers a northwestern swath of the state that includes the White Mountains and its vast network of hiking trails and ski runs.
Gendreau has proposed investing in renewable energy sources and services for tourists who visit the White Mountains, as well as the small businesses that depend on them.
“I believe we need to be good stewards, not just of the North Country or the state, but our country … our world,” Gendreau said, referring to her support for renewables.
“Tourism is huge up here, people come here for clean air, and hiking, the pristine waters,” she continued. “I want to do everything I can to preserve that.”
Both candidates said the state could do more to attract visitors to the White Mountains. They said they would support efforts to increase available parking around hiking trailheads and to develop and preserve the trail networks.
“We have people parking along Route 2 about a mile on either end of the Appalachian (trailhead) and popping out on the road because there isn’t enough parking,” Tucker said. “We need kiosks and expanded parking offered by the state.”
The candidates have also spoken out about the state’s tax burden. Gendreau has pledged to oppose any tax increases.
“Instead of raising taxes, we can cut spending,” she said.
When asked, she declined to suggest specific spending areas to reduce.
“I don’t know without taking a deep dive into the budget or talking to other senators about what they feel is pork-belly spending,” she said.
Tucker denied that she “voted for a tax increase,” as signs posted around the district claim.
“I never have voted for an income tax,” she said. “I said I wouldn’t, I won’t.”
The signs do not identify any campaign or named group as the source. Tucker suspected they might reference her support for the Granite State Paid Family Leave Plan, a family and medical leave policy that would guarantee beneficiaries six or 12 weeks of paid leave, depending on the employer. The bill was signed into law in 2021 and will go into effect for state employees on Jan. 1. The money will be taken out of employees’ paychecks, like social security, Tucker said.
On the issue of abortion, Tucker said she firmly supports a woman’s right to choose.
“I think we all need to recognize that these issues are all private and very personal,” she said, “and there isn’t room for government in there.”
There are 48 towns in District 1, which now includes Bath, Benton, Easton, Haverhill, Landaff, Lisbon, Monroe, Piermont, and Warren.
Lyme, Orford and Wentworth are in District 5.
