Democrat Maura Sullivan says her party is in trouble because Democrats “lost our way in 2024” and “were not in touch with what matters to voters.”
But if the 1st Congressional District candidate’s handling of the “guys in girls’ sports” issue is any sign, she may be part of the problem, not the solution.
Sullivan, who announced her candidacy last week, made her comments about the state of the Democratic Party in an interview with WMUR’s Adam Sexton. During that conversation, he asked her about the girls-only sports issue.
“Would you vote, as (U.S. Rep.) Chris Pappas did, against legislation to ensure that girls’ sports are for girls only, excluding transgender individuals?” Sexton asked.
Sullivan responded, but she avoided answering the question.
“As a parent, these issues are very, very personal to me, as I think they are to all parents,” Sullivan said. “I don’t know a parent in New Hampshire, or, frankly, across our country who does not want for their kid to be in an environment where they’re safe, happy, healthy, and secure.”
Sexton followed up. “So, how would you vote on the legislation?”
Again, Sullivan dodged.
“As I said, I would need to be focused on making sure that all children, all children, have the ability to be in an environment that is safe and secure and happy, and where they are able to thrive.” No answer on how she would vote.
Sexton broadened the topic.
“Should women and girls have the right to say no to having someone who is biologically male in their personal spaces, like locker rooms and bathrooms?”
And again, Sullivan declined to stake out a position.
“I think this is a challenging topic. I think that we need to have a lot more conversations about it. But to be clear: All people — regardless of gender, regardless of you know where you come from, what you look like, who you happen to love — have the right to feel safe and secure.”
At that point, Sexton simply moved on.
Republicans are delighted to see Democrats like Sullivan stumble over this issue. In New Hampshire and nationwide, polls show voters overwhelmingly support banning biological males (including those who “identify” as female) from girls sports and allowing women to exclude men from their bathrooms and locker rooms.
Unapologetic liberals have begun to call out the Democratic Party’s extremism on this issue, including Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.), who called it “deeply unfair” to force female athletes to compete with biological males.
A day before Sullivan’s interview aired, the progressive Boston Globe published an op-ed by New Hampshire state Rep. Jonah Wheeler (D-Peterborough) explaining his vote in favor of legislation banning biological males from women’s spaces.
He wrote about how, when he rose to give a speech explaining his position to the House, his fellow Democrats walked out, some mocking and insulting him as they did.
During the debate over the issue, some New Hampshire Democrats compared Wheeler, who is Black, to defenders of segregation in the Jim Crow era.
After his vote, however, “I received thousands of calls, emails, and text messages from people offering their support. I have been overwhelmed by stories from women who’ve been begging to be heard, politically homeless Democrats who feel the party has left them, and so many others who just wanted to say thanks.”
Sullivan finished second in the 2018 1st District primary, and she raised more money than the eventual winner, Pappas. Political observers say she could be a formidable candidate in an open-seat race the Cook Political Report ranks as “likely Democrat.” Other potential candidates include former state Sens. Jon Morgan (D-Brentwood) and Tom Sherman (D-Rye), as well as U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s daughter Stefany.
But Republicans are hoping that whoever the eventual Democratic nominee is, they will have to move so far left to appease the party’s progressive base that it will create an opening for the GOP.
“Maura Sullivan is so far out of touch with Granite Staters that she finds herself on the wrong side of overwhelmingly popular issues, and this is exhibit A,” said National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Mike Marinella.
“Her refusal to answer simple questions is a lame attempt to hide her extremism from voters. But they will see through her facade and reject her resoundingly.”
