DERRY, N.H. – New Hampshire Republicans elected a tea party figure as their leader and rejected the establishment-backed candidate, a sign that activists in this early-voting presidential state have embraced the anti-government message that helped them make major gains in November’s election.
Former gubernatorial candidate Jack Kimball edged businesswoman Juliana Bergeron in a race decided by the more than 400 members of the statewide committee.
Kimball, who said he would “send Barack Obama packing” and elect a Republican governor in 2012, promised not to shy from a fight.
New Hampshire Democratic Party chairman Ray Buckley was blunt in his criticism.
“Jack Kimball’s election as chair completes the radical right-wing takeover of the Republican Party in the Granite State,” Buckley said.
After his victory, Kimball sought to calm fears that he would guide the state GOP as a tea party.
“I am a Republican, a conservative Republican who happened to come out of the tea party. You’ll find the Reagan values in this guy,” he said.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.