Jon Kiper: Why I’m running for NHDP Chair

When exploring my run for governor, I met with a former organizer at New Hampshire Youth Movement. He’d recently left state politics, and he told me that a major factor was Ray Buckley’s continued chairmanship of the NH Democratic Party.

As long as Buckley leads the party, he told me, Democratic losses will continue. He cited Buckley’s lopsided focus on federal races, with little priority given to state and local contests. Unfortunately, the 2024 election panned out exactly as predicted.

While Kamala Harris carried the state, and Chris Pappas and Maggie Goodlander won their races, Democrats all the way down the ballot suffered devastating losses. Joyce Craig lost by nine and a half points, and even Donna Soucy, a longtime State Senator, was defeated by a perennial loser.

I didn’t ever plan to run for chair of the NHDP, but I feel I have no choice. The state party is a highly valuable tool in the fight against fascism, and our collective resources must be leveraged effectively—not wasted on tired tactics.

Innovate

In 2004, Hillary Clinton (then a U.S. Senator) publicly announced her opposition to gay marriage. This was the culture of our party when Buckley took over as chair. In the decades since, there have been massive shifts in public sentiment around a variety of issues—surely due to the equally massive changes in how our society communicates.

The GOP understands the importance of social media, even going so far as to create their own social media platform. For Democrats to succeed, we need to communicate with voters in new, inventive ways. Full-page mailers and bougie house parties just aren’t cutting it anymore.

Communicate

The state party must offer greater support to our town and county committees. They’re the backbone of our party. They recruit and coach candidates, fundraise, canvass, and coordinate—even when their sphere of influence feels limited to one corner of the state. This passion and sacrifice should be rewarded with funding, staff support, and an open line of communication with party leadership.

A culture of communication and partnership must also be fostered among party leaders and staff. The “DEI” that terrifies every ill-informed Trumper is in fact a source of tremendous strength and growth for any community—when all perspectives are heard and considered, we can develop creative solutions.

Prioritize New Hampshire

I’ll offer respect where it’s due: Buckley’s Washington, D.C., connections are valuable, as is his institutional knowledge. But where were those connections when we had to defend our First-in-the-Nation Primary, and when Joe Biden decided he didn’t need our votes?

An effort has been underway to undermine NH on the national stage, and the consequences matter. Because of our FITN Primary, local organizations that defend reproductive rights and LGBTQIA+ rights, or that pursue affordable housing or environmental protections, are able to attract significant outside funding.

In response to these growing issues, party leaders bafflingly pursued the “Write-in Biden” campaign, spending almost half a million trying to buy back our national relevance. Had these funds been invested in the Executive Council races of Emmett Soldati or Jon Morgan, for example, we could have secured a few more victories.

Adding insult to injury, when pundits questioned Biden’s ability to serve another term, state party leaders told us to “suck it up”. When I called for Biden to step aside, Buckley dismissed me as a “bedwetter”. But when Biden finally did the right thing, our state party leaders were practically cartwheeling in excitement for Kamala’s unplanned candidacy. Would Trump be serving a second presidency right now if party leadership had spoken up a bit sooner about Biden? With more time, could Kamala have won?

A New Generation

At the national level, there is a growing recognition that it is time for the older generation to step aside and make room for younger leaders. David Hogg’s recent election to Vice Chair of the national party is a clear signal.

In my gubernatorial campaign, we sent out zero mailers. We knocked so few doors that it would make any organizer cry. We made very few phone calls, had zero house parties, and raised only $50,000. But by focusing on the issues most essential to voters, and by prioritizing social media, we secured nearly 12,000 votes statewide—roughly $4 per vote. In contrast, my primary opponents spent $30-35 per vote. It’s painful to see millions of donor dollars wasted on outdated campaign strategies. Could those funds have been better invested in local and state races?

We are now confronted with a highly skeptical voter base that has lost faith in the party’s ability to defend basic human rights in New Hampshire and around the world. No amount of canvassing or phonebanking can overcome a flawed message and strategy, nor overcome a shrinking, disillusioned voter base. This NHDP election is a referendum on whether the party is able to acknowledge its failures. To win back credibility and trust with voters—such as my friend who left politics over Buckley’s stewardship—we need fresh, relatable leaders.

We were told that this was the most important election of our lifetime, and that democracy was on the line. Those who failed us should be held accountable. We can win in 2026, and we must win in 2028 to secure fair districts and build a foundation for success in 2030 and beyond. I am willing to ask tough questions and make tough decisions in pursuit of a stronger Democratic Party and a stronger New Hampshire. If you’d like to join me in this effort, head over to www.JonKiper.com and drop me a line.