State Rep. Emily Phillips (R-Fremont) wants to replace Sen. Bill Gannon (R-Sandown) in the New Hampshire state Senate. She also wants progressive Rep. Ellen Read (D-Newmarket) to be reelected to the House.
And that’s where the problem starts.
In the 48 hours since a video of Phillips’ endorsement appeared on social media, Republicans on both sides of the primary race have been in an uproar. Gannon supporters, who tend to be from the traditional wing of the state GOP, say it’s another sign she is unreliable and erratic. They’ve suggested that, as assistant House majority leader, she should be sanctioned for publicly supporting a Democrat.
Phillips’ fans, a group that includes members of the House Liberty Alliance and the free-market organization Americans For Prosperity – New Hampshire, dismiss the complaint as an opportunistic hit job. They say Phillips’ endorsement is meaningless because Read represents a solidly-Democratic district and there’s only one Republican running in a three-seat race.
But sources close to both campaigns acknowledge the real fight isn’t over an endorsement, but ideology. The House is a stronghold of the libertarian-leaning wing of the party, while the Senate is governed by traditional Republicanism. Many House members feel dissed by the Senate and its leadership, particularly this biennium when the 400-seat lower chamber had a smaller GOP majority than the 24-member Senate.
Phillips’ challenge to Gannon is part of a House effort to send a message.
“It looks like Emily against Bill,” one GOP House rep told NHJournal Wednesday, “but it’s really Jason against Jeb.”
Jason is House Majority Leader Jason Osborne (R-Auburn) and Jeb is outgoing Senate President Jeb Bradley (R-Wolfeboro).
The current catfight is over a video of Phillips, sitting with Read and urging viewers to donate to the Democrat’s campaign, including giving out the donation web address. “It’s very important to me that Ellen gets reelected,” Phillips said.
This upset Jeanene Cooper, the Republican running in the Rockingham 10 race. She posted the video on her social media feed, adding: “Sad to see Asst. Majority Leader Emily Phillips endorsed my Democrat opponent. Ellen votes against every priority of the New Hampshire GOP and House Republicans.
“GOP should be united to keep the House,” she added.
And then there’s the issue that brought Phillips and Read together: Their opposition to circumcision. It’s a passion for Phillips, who was a prime sponsor of legislation to end coverage of circumcision under the state Medicaid plan. (Read was a co-sponsor.)
“Foreskin is not a birth defect and no one wants less penis,” Phillips told the House during a floor debate in March.
Phillips told NHJournal Wednesday she’s done nothing wrong.
“Ellen Read is a personal friend and a great legislator who works across the aisle with us frequently. Her party is trying to primary her out for this very reason,” Phillips said. “I am not ashamed of supporting my friend in her primary over her opponents. Ellen has worked across the aisle with me on issues important to our community.
“On top of that, her district is heavily Democratic and we don’t even have three Republican candidates for the three Republican seats. We have one, Jeanene Cooper, and I support her candidacy as well. I would take Ellen Read in a heartbeat, though, over any of her Democrat opponents and look forward to continuing to work with her across the aisle next session.”
That is a bridge too far for some House Republicans.
“I am officially pulling my endorsement of Emily Phillips for state Senate,” Rep. Mike Bordes (R-Laconia) posted on social media. “Her recent endorsement of a Democrat for state representative has caused me to reconsider my support for her. The only way to keep a Republican majority is to support Republicans.”
And former state Rep. Kimberly Rice, who’s running for the House again this November, is also bothered by Phillips’ endorsement.
“I agree with working across the aisle on legislation, that’s fine,” Rice said. “But when it’s time to campaign and we’re all out here running for a Republican majority, it needs to be no holds barred.”
Rice, who served as Speaker Pro Tempore, said it also bothered her that a member of GOP leadership would be backing Democrats in November’s election. “I’m a Republican, not a Libertarian. We need Republicans who will back Republicans.”
There may also be formal repercussions for Phillips, according to state GOP chairman Chris Ager.
“The NHGOP has been asked to clarify the ramifications of a registered Republican endorsing a Democrat in a race against a Republican nominated for that office,” Ager told NHJournal in a statement. “Per Section E of our bylaws, a Republican is disqualified from the current time through the end of the next biennium from holding an office of the State Committee or any County or City Committee, from being a member of the Executive Committee and from being a member of the State Committee.”
Given that Read is running in a race with three seats and only one Republican candidate, is she truly “in a race against a Republican?” And despite Phillips saying she wants to see Read re-elected, the fact remains that Cooper is not yet “nominated” because the primary isn’t until September 10. Does this rule apply?
“At this time, this rule clearly applies to anyone associated with Republicans for Harris. At this time the NHGOP has made no other determinations,” Ager said.
Phillips supporters say she’s a solid Republican and her voting record shows it. But she’s also willing to debate on behalf of conservative ideas — even against some members of her own party — something senate Republicans like Gannon often avoid.
“You know they almost never have roll call votes in the Senate?” said Rep. Tom Mannion (R-Pelham.) “Emily was always one of the first voices from the House floor to call for a roll call. In the Senate, they don’t believe in transparency, in letting the voters hold their members accountable.”
Gannon serves as the chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee and the vice chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Phillips supporters say the issue isn’t Gannon’s votes, but his refusal as chair of the Commerce Committee to allow important legislation to ever get a vote. They point specifically to legislation related to housing and zoning.
But both sides acknowledge there are very few Senate votes where Gannon and Phillips would significantly diverge. So what’s all the fighting about?
Gannon supporters, who reflect the GOP establishment, say Phillips’ approach will create problems in the Senate, which by definition needs to be more deliberative and less confrontational than the House. They’re putting their money where their mouth is, too. GOP Senate PAC filings show more than $80,000 spent on mail, digital ads, and other efforts, which appear to be overwhelmingly directed against Phillips.
But Phillips has AFP’s backing, as well as the “Liberty Alliance,” and she’s getting ad support as well.
Longtime political observers say the race is too volatile to make any predictions, but several noted to NHJournal how rare it is for incumbents to lose, particularly their own party’s primary. And, several House Republicans said on background, this battle won’t end on September 10.
Their message: If Senate Republicans don’t want to more primaries in 2028, they need to start thinking today about how to work with the House in 2025.
EDITOR’S NOTE: A previous version of this article misidentified Rep. Tom Mannion. We regret the error.
