The 2016 election will be the first attempt at reelection for several Republican Senators who rode the 2010 Tea Party wave into Washington. 2016 is a presidential year which makes for a much different electorate and makes those Republicans extremely vulnerable. Today may be the first day of winter but this is certainly not a cold endorsement of New Hampshire’s Maggie Hassan in her quest to join Jean Shaheen representing the Granite State in the United States Senate.

This is another example of not letting the good becoming the enemy of the perfect when it comes to endorsing candidates. While not a pure progressive, Maggie certainly checks almost all of the truly important boxes. I will admit my disappointment that she was the first Democratic Governor who asked that Syrian refugees not be relocated in her home state. That move can easily be dismissed as purely political and I’m certain Governor Hassan knew it was toothless since the federal government controls immigration in America.

Maggie’s education includes an undergraduate degree from Ivy League Brown University and a Juris Doctorate from Northeastern. She went on to serve three terms in the New Hampshire Senate and is currently in her second term as New Hampshire’s Governor.

Unlike her likely November opponent, incumbent Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte, Hassan has a pro-women track record. The stark contrast between the two, especially on women’s issues has already played a prominent role in the campaign.

Particularly impressive is Hassan’s record on public education and labor matters. During her time as Governor she froze tuition at state colleges and lowered it at junior colleges. Making post-secondary education affordable helps make it accessible.

On the labor/commerce front she has been involved in some innovative legislation that protects both the individual worker and small business. She helped enact a New Hampshire statute that requires employers to give their employees advance notice of a likely mass layoff. In some measure because of her work New Hampshire is one of the few states that allow “partial unemployment”. Employers can reduce hours for a substantial portion of their work force instead of kicking a number of employees to the curb. This keeps employees on the job so that they are in place when things turn around. It also provides job security and the consumer consumption that accompanies it. Hassan was also deeply involved in the legislation that allows up to six weeks of unemployment compensation while workers do on-the-job training in anticipation of being hired.

Another example of her caring about those less fortunate is that she has long been a champion in making it easier and more affordable for people to obtain health insurance.

Hassan also has a record of caring for the environment and being in favor of medical marijuana.

I encourage all of my New Hampshire readers to vote for Maggie Hassan for the United States Senate in 2016. She should fit right in as part of the new Democratic Senate majority under Chuck Schumer’s leadership.

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