NH Republicans vote to leave a red seat open for 19 months rather than risk a special election loss

Republicans in Salem last week voted to prevent a special election to fill a vacant seat in the state legislature, opting to leave local residents without full representation in Concord for 19 months.

The seat was previously held by Republican State Representative Fred Doucette, who resigned in March to accept a position in the Trump administration. The GOP majority on the Salem council, including Deputy House Minority Leader State Rep. Joe Sweeney, opted to leave the seat unfilled until the 2026 general election.

Many New Hampshire political insiders on both sides of the aisle say the decision was to avoid an embarrassing special election loss of a Republican seat in a Republican town, sparking accusations of partisan maneuvering at the expense of Salem residents.

Councilor Bonnie Wright was the sole vote in favor of holding a special election, highlighting concerns over democratic fairness and adequate representation. In an interview, Wright said she believed New Hampshire Republicans were concerned about draining their campaign accounts defending the seat.

“I was told that we had a special election a few years back… It ran down the coffers of the Salem GOP and New Hampshire GOP,” Wright said, adding that she’s been hearing from voters in the town who are angry that local Republican lawmakers would go out of their way to prevent an election. 

“I got more emails on this than I’ve had on any other topic. People wanted this election,” Wright said.

The Republican decision to block a special election in Salem comes a day after a special election that saw a Republican candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court lose  a closely watched special election for the seat, despite dramatically outspending his opponent. That loss is being viewed by many political commentators as a referendum on Donald Trump’s  early days in office and the role of billionaire Elon Musk in his administration.

The council’s decision also appears influenced by broader national trends indicating momentum for Democrats. Recent Democratic victories in special elections in historically Republican districts across Iowa, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, alongside significant Democratic overperformances in Florida congressional special elections this week, have put Republicans on the defensive.

Local New Hampshire Democrats say they see a trend emerging.

“Latest sign GOP is running scared from coast-to-coast about Dem enthusiasm right now? The ruby red Salem, NH selectboard is opting to leave a state house seat open for 19(!) months rather than risk a special election,” Aaron Jacobs, a top campaign manager of many of the most high profile races in the state in the last 10 years, said in a post on social media .

“Salem Republicans are too scared to hold a special election. They would rather deprive their constituents of full representation because they’re afraid that voters will reject the unpopular Trump-Ayotte agenda. They should reverse course and let the people speak,” said Doug Marino, a longtime New Hampshire political campaign staffer. 

New Hampshire Democrats also have a robust record of success in flipping Republican-held seats in special elections. Since 2022, Democrats have won seven out of nine such elections statewide, including a prominent victory in a traditionally Republican stronghold of Bedford in 2021.

“Salem Republicans like Joe Sweeney see what’s happening across the country and are clearly desperate to cling to control rather than risk another embarrassing loss at the ballot box. Refusing to hold a special election is a clear admission from Republicans that they know Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Kelly Ayotte’s agenda is deeply unpopular with Granite Staters – even in Salem,” said New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley.

“Voters deserve to have full representation in Concord, and if Republicans aren’t scared of losing, then they should reverse course and hold a special election to fill the seat.”