Entrepreneur and anti-‘woke’ activist Vivek Ramaswamy has released a list of 47 Granite State endorsements in his bid to become the GOP presidential nominee. The list includes current and former state representatives, grassroots activists, and former Londonderry Town Manager Kevin Smith, who ran in the GOP U.S. Senate primary last year.
“I have said before, this isn’t just a political campaign; it’s a cultural movement. Our outsider grassroots movement is gaining momentum in the Live Free or Die State and across the country,” said Ramaswamy. “I’m grateful for the strong support we have received from so many conservative leaders and activists across New Hampshire.”
Asked why he was backing Ramaswamy in the ever-more-crowded field of GOP candidates — including former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — Smith touted the biotech entrepreneur’s outsider status.
“Vivek Ramaswamy is the business owner and political outsider America desperately needs. Our country cannot afford another career politician in the White House,” Smith said. “Vivek is a conservative we can count on to dismantle and rebuild the broken administrative state in Washington.”
In addition to Smith, the list includes state Reps. Richard Brown, Richard Littlefield, David Love, Mark McLean, Fred Plett, David Rochefort, Susan Vandecasteele, and Peter Varney, former Rep. Linda Rea Camarota, Salem GOP Chair Steve Goddu, former state Rep. Dawn Johnson, and Stephen Kenda.
State Rep. Fred Doucette, New Hampshire Chair of Vivek 2024, told NHJournal the list is a good start, “with more names to come” from elected New Hampshire officials.
Also on the list: Greg Anthes (New Durham), Janis Anthes (New Durham), Diane Balukonis (Salem), Mary Bartel (Windham), Jeff Bedrick (Salem), Frank Bellistri (Windham), Ruth Bellistri (Windham), Richard Brooks Jr. (Nashua), Steven Burrows (Moultonborough), Jeffrey Carlisle (Portsmouth), Al Cocci (Londonderry), Beverly Daigle (Milford), Nick Doucette (Salem), Alan Galster (Henniker), Pamela Gzehoviak (Hudson), Pat Hargreaves (Salem), Randy Hunt (Amherst), Christine Jankins (Portsmouth), Tom Linehan (Salem), Richard Loiko (Bedford), Niki Loiko (Bedford), Harrison Lounsbury (Alton), Deborah Mailhot (New Boston), Madeline Mailhot (New Boston), Paula McAree (Bedford), Gary McAree (Bedford), Lee Mohnkern (Bedford), David Moore (Bedford), David Rutzke (Merrimack), Scott Simeone (Amherst), Bob Slein (Salem), Deb Slein (Salem), Ann Szot (Keene), and Michael Varney (Farmington).
“What I like about this list is that it’s people who’ve actually done the hard work for campaigns in the past,” Doucette said. “A lot of these people are the folks who knock on doors, put up signs, aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty.
“These are the people who actually win elections.”
