Next up: panel with Sen. Nancy Stiles, Rep. Laurie Sanborn, and Rep. Lynne Blankenbeker, discussing how they decided to run and what it's like being in office.
NS: three terms in House before being elected to Senate in 2010. Her work with her professional association brought her to Concord to testify as a member of the public, and she found herself facing committees "full of men" who were not particularly responsive. Result: running for office. She serves on the Senate Education committee. In the Senate, "you look at all the stakeholders in the room, and ask 'can you all live with the language in this bill?' If so, we tend to support it." Unlike the House, the Senate does not have time to "get down into the weeds" on bills. She plans to run for re-election.
LS: Never considered herself politically active until about four years ago. The LLC tax passed a few years ago ("an income tax on small businesses") galvanized her and her husband (now-Sen. Andy Sanborn) into running. She challenged an 18-year incumbent, and "never thought in a million years I could win" in a college town, "but I did it." Useful piece of advice she got: "be an expert on something," which in her case is business. She looked around for a coalition of like-minded legislators, and when she couldn't find one, she started one. Praises House Republican Alliance for its support. "Women have a special bond ... we can do great things together." Will run again, but she's moving from Henniker to Bedford and so will have a new district in which to campaign.
LB: A nurse and naval officer by profession (recently returned from Afghanistan); went to law school "to build credibility" as she advocated for veterans. Working for former Congressman & NH Supreme Court Justice Chuck Douglas in his law/lobbying practice exposed her to day-to-day legislative work. Watching a parental notification vote from the gallery one day when the Democrats were in control, she was livid to see so many seats empty on the House floor. "I wanted to be part of the solution... I had no idea how hard this (campaigning) would be." She gets applause when she says how parental notification was eventually passed. She recommends the Vesta Roy program for GOP NH women, which she thinks would have helped her as a candidate. Won her House seat in a special election by 17 votes, and then won a regular election by 40 votes - no mean feat in Concord! Does not plan to seek re-election; she has been recalled to Afghanistan. "Step up," she concludes. She also gives a shout-out to homeschoolers for the effective way they tend to communicate with legislators - no canned emails.
In the Q&A, Rep. Laurie Pettengill asks "do you think about the GOP platform when you vote?" Stiles: yes, "but I also think about the people I represent. " Sanborn: "absolutely, and I also look at my palm card" to be reminded of her promises. Blankenbeker: "The first thing I look at is constitutionality ... [then] does this align with our party values ... [then] liberty ... and constituency."
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