New Hampshire: The Real Facts

David P. Greisman of the Keene Sentinel writes:

Former state senator Thomas R. Eaton is mulling a return to the campaign trail to challenge for the seat he lost to Democrat Molly M. Kelly two years ago.

Eaton, a Keene Republican, has also expressed interest in a vacant state liquor commission seat. He says he is still weighing his options and has not yet made his decision.

"How is this district being served by our current senator?" Eaton said Monday. "I look at what I did in just a couple years there versus what she has done. There's no comparison. I know what I can do and have done, and I enjoyed what I did."

Kelly declined to comment for this story.
Eaton, a former funeral-home director who now works in corporate relations for developer TF Moran Inc., represented District 10 in the state Senate for seven years. He also served as Senate president from 2002 to 2005 before being ousted from the seat by Senate colleagues.

Senate District 10 covers Chesterfield, Dublin, Fitzwilliam, Hinsdale, Keene, Marlborough, Richmond, Surry, Swanzey, Troy and Winchester.

Kelly defeated Eaton in 2006 with 63 percent of the vote to Eaton's 37 percent, beating him in every town on the way to a 10,660-6,184 victory.

"I can't take it personal losing last time," Eaton said. "I took it that people were angry at (President George W.) Bush, and it showed countrywide. One of the other major facts is you don't have straight-ticket voting anymore, so people have to check your name."

State legislators chose last year to do away with straight-ticket voting, which gave people the option of picking all of the candidates from a single political party by checking just one box on the ballot.

Kelly raised $107,160 for her 2006 campaign, while Eaton raised $58,540, according to figures compiled by the Montana-based National Institute on Money in State Politics.

Eaton raised $52,750 for the 2000 election, $19,975 for 2002 and $63,722 for 2004.

"If I run, I'll be making sure that I run on a very low budget - and make sure people understand that and realize that," Eaton said. "It's gotten out of hand countrywide. I think you can get your message out and not have to have a huge budget. For a $100 a year seat, that's just inexcusable to pay that much."

Eaton said he is also thinking about the seat on the three-person state liquor commission vacated by Anthony C. Maiola.

"The liquor commission is a very large money-maker for the state of New Hampshire," Eaton said. "You get the best of both worlds, being able to be a businessman and still being able to work with the Legislature."

The nominee for the liquor commission would have to be put forth by the governor and approved by the state's Executive Council.

"The governor is talking with a number of people about the position, like he does with every position," said Colin Manning, spokesman for N.H. Gov. John H. Lynch. "He hopes to bring a nomination soon."

Should Eaton choose to run for the state Senate, one local Democrat is skeptical of his chances.

"With a straight-ticket ballot gone, you have to run on a record, and I think his record for Cheshire County wasn't that great," said Anna Z. Tilton, a member of the Cheshire County Democrats executive committee. Tilton, of Keene, served as a state representative for two terms before winning the 2006 race for Cheshire County's register of probate.

"It was his own party which removed him as Senate president," Tilton said. "I guess I would wonder why he thought the Republicans would welcome him back."

They would, said Juliana T. Bergeron of Keene, chairman of the Cheshire County Republican Committee.

"The Cheshire Republicans would love to have him run," Bergeron said. "I don't think we'd see a repeat of the last election, because I don't think Molly Kelly has contributed very much.

"Think of all the things that he did to help the communities around here. The vocational school (Keene Academic Center) is here partially because of his work. He helped us attract C&S (Wholesalers Grocers), our largest employer.

"I could go on and on," she said. "I think all of that got lost in the groundswell against the war and people voting a straight Democratic ticket. People could still do it this time, but they'll have to mark an 'X' in every spot, not just one at the top. They'll have to give it more thought."