People often ask me, "Why would you want this job?"

Being chair of a state political party is a daunting task. The average tenure of a Republican State Party Chair is eighteen months. To be sure, there is a LOT to manage, but I feel like my career, that has now spanned fifty-years, has prepared me for this moment. As a Christian, I believe that God never gives us more than we can handle. I want to talk about that preparation.

I started out working in my Grandmother's donut shoppe. I was only seven but my job was to build the dozen donut boxes. When I was older my uncle let me flip the donuts using a dowel. It was fun filling the jelly donuts with the machine. I had to admit that my donuts had a bit more jelly in them than usual. I don't think the customers complained. Now I only worked when I visited my Grandmother, and I worked pretty cheap - my favorite lemon donut - but even at that age, I was learning lessons about customer service, quality control, process and procedures that serve me to this day.

My first real job was washing dishes at a supper club in Florida. It was hard and hot work. I've never shrunk from hard work. Three hundred people per night. Seven courses. $10 per night. I had the greatest boss. He taught me about how the business works. I was fortunate to have many bosses over the years who taught me about how business works. I have an MBA and PhD in business but honestly learned more about business from them than I ever did in a classroom. The NH Republican Party is a small business. It needs to be run like one. 

Politics has always been part of my life. From watching the Watergate Hearings in 1974 to working under Governors Sununu, Gregg, and Merrill, I got a lot of practical political experience. At 13, my interest in the Watergate Hearings wasn't truly all about politics. I had plantar fasciitis on both feet, so couldn't do as much that Summer as I would have liked. We only had three channels and all were showing the hearings. I also have to admit that perhaps, I had a bit of a teenage crush on Susan Ford. 

My parents were conservative Kennedy Democrats in the 1960's and 1970's so of course I was too. When Richard Nixon stood up and said "I am not a crook!" after watching the hearings I decided that, "Yes, you are." and concluded that I could not support a party that lacked integrity. Integrity is something that has always been a part of who I am and I still believe that to this day. I hate to admit it, but I actually voted for Gary Hart once when he ran for Senate in Colorado. But by 1980, sitting in the gas lines of the '70s as a teen, I supported Ronald Reagan for President and haven't looked back since. Today, I consider myself a Reagan Conservative and a photo of President Reagan hangs in my office today.

I was an educator for over 30 years as a national championship-level Debate Coach, a business and economics professor, and a high school business and computer teacher. I sometimes lament that I never got to serve in the military. Someone once joked that as a high school teacher,  I definitely served in combat! All kidding aside, since I never got to serve in the military, my policial work is how I'm choosing to give back to a state and country I love. 

Since becoming chair in January of 2026, I have told people that I am on a one-year job interview. I hope during that time I have earned your trust and support. My mission was to make this the "Best damn party in the country." We are not where I want us to be. There is still much work to be done and I hope you will elect me, and perhaps more importantly, help me finish the job. 

I said at the annual meeting last year, that if you think I can do this by myself, you're out of your mind. I've built a great team, Alyssa, Karina, Shaun, Woody, Ken, Paul, Abby, plus 10 RNC staffers have helped this year. I couldn't do what I've done without them. They have my undying appreciation. I have lots of plans for the next two years. You'll find them outlined in my Agenda 2028. It's a draft. It will always be a draft. I don't believe that I've cornered the market on good ideas. As State Committee members, I want to hear from you - your thoughts and ideas. 

Let me end by saying that James 4:6 says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” There are 450,000 Republicans and Right-leaning Independents in New Hampshire, and herding those cats is not an easy task. As someone once said, "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is to try to please everyone." so I don't try. My goal, and frankly my job, is to lead; to make the decisions that help give us the best chance to win. As Chairman, I am mearly a steward of this office; of this party. It's not my office, but I will always do my best to honor God and put us in the best position to win. I hope that I have been worthy of that task and your support.