A day after a nonpartisan, pro-democracy group denounced New Hampshire Democratic Party chair Ray Buckley for spreading unfounded conspiracy theories about the 2024 election, the newly-elected state GOP chair is calling on Buckley to resign.
“Ray Buckley has always been a nut, but with him pushing baseless and dangerous conspiracy theories about the election, it’s time for him to resign,” said Chairman Paul Callaghan on Wednesday.
NHJournal first reported on the video Buckley distributed via social media featuring fringe theories about compromised voting machines and “heat map” analysis that, the far-Left group the Election Truth Alliance (ETA) claims, is evidence that the 2024 presidential election was stolen from Vice President Kamala Harris.
On Tuesday, the Democracy Defense Project’s New Hampshire board released a statement condemning Buckley for “spreading false claims of voter fraud in the 2024 presidential election.” Board members include former New Hampshire U.S. Reps. Charlie Bass (R) and Dick Swett (D).
“The new claims of a stolen 2024 presidential election due to supposed internet interference are unfounded, untrue, and unfortunate,” they wrote.
Callaghan, who was elected NHGOP chair on Monday after the resignation of Jim MacEachern, told NHJournal he believes Buckley’s anti-Trump politics have pushed him to the fringe.
“Buckley has a mean case of Trump Derangement Syndrome,” Callaghan said. “He is losing his mind because President Trump won by a landslide across the country, and Governor Kelly Ayotte dominated in New Hampshire. He can’t comprehend the fact that voters are rejecting his woke, far-left ideology and embracing conservative values and fiscal responsibility.”
Buckley has a well-earned reputation for using harsh, and often offensive, language in his attacks on Republicans, calling Gov. Kelly Ayotte a “fascist,” and posting messages referring to the DHS Secretary as “KKKristi Noem.”
Buckley has also been a vocal critic of Republicans who claimed the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump, calling them a “threat to democracy” for advancing the unfounded theories. All four members of the federal delegation have made similar statements denouncing election deniers.
As of Wednesday, no elected New Hampshire Democrat has criticized Buckley for spreading election denial theories about the 2024 election.
