Long and Ping clash on education, marijuana, and reproductive rights in Senate race

New Hampshire state senators play a role in shaping the state’s laws and policies while representing the interests of their constituents. The state has 24 senators, each of whom serve two-year terms without term limits. They draft bills, vote on laws, and serve on various committees, focusing on areas like education, health, and finance. They review legislation, hold public hearings, and make policy recommendations. In addition, they help create the state budget, oversee the implementation of laws, and assist constituents with state service issues. New Hampshire senators earn just $100 per year, in keeping with the state’s tradition of citizen legislators, many of whom maintain other full-time jobs. To qualify for the Senate, candidates must be at least 30 years old, registered voters, and residents of New Hampshire for at least seven years, as well as residents of the district they seek to represent.

HOW A BILL BECOMES LAW

In New Hampshire, the process of turning a bill into law involves several steps. First, a state legislator from either the House of Representatives or the Senate introduces a bill. The bill is then assigned to a committee for review, where public hearings may be held, and changes might be suggested. Once the committee finishes its work, the bill goes to the full House or Senate for debate and a vote. If both chambers approve the bill in identical form, it moves to the governor’s desk. The governor can either sign the bill into law, veto it, or allow it to become law without a signature. If vetoed, the legislature can override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers. Once approved by the governor or passed through a veto override, the bill officially becomes law.

DISTRICT 20 SENATE RACE

Democrat Patrick Long is facing off against Republican Brittany LeClear-Ping for the District 20 Senate seat, which serves Manchester. The seat is open as Democrat Lou D’Allesandro retired after 50 years in office.  

Democrat Patrick Long

Website: longfornh.com
Pat Long is a lifelong resident of Manchester who was raised at St. Peter’s Orphanage after experiencing homelessness with his family. He attended West High School then earned his GED before becoming an apprentice in the Ironworkers Union, where he rose to the position of union business manager. Long has served as the mayor and alderman in Manchester, on the Manchester School Board, and on the Manchester Planning Board. Long previously served as state representative for Hillsborough 42 from 2012 to 2014, and Hillsborough 10 from 2006 to 2012. 

Education and School Choice

Long supports New Hampshire’s current system of public school funding, with about two-thirds of total funding coming from local property taxes. “The more we can identify other sources, the less we require from local property taxes,” he said on Citizens Count. He does not support the state Education Freedom Accounts program, which gives students access to  private school or home school expenses through taxpayer money. “This program is not accountable to the taxpayer,” Long said on Citizens Count. 

Marijuana Legalization
Long supports legalizing marijuana. 

Reproductive Rights

Long is endorsed by Planned Parenthood for his support of abortion rights.

Economy and Housing Crisis

Long wants to increase state funding for the unhoused.  

Republican Brittany Ping

Brittany Ping is the owner of property management company Ledgeview Commercial and real estate agent in Manchester. She earned her undergraduate degree at Ball State University and her M.B.A. at Southern New Hampshire University. Her husband Matthew Ping is also involved in politics. He was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for state representative but lost in the Democratic primary on Sept. 10. Ping, a member of the  Free State Project,talked about her and her husband’s political differences on Facebook Live with far-right candidate Victoria Sullivan, a member of the House who’s running for a state Senate seat this election. Ping’s husband ran on the Democratic ballot and voted for his wife’s opponent. “He didn’t even vote for me,” Ping said in the interview.

Education and School Choice 

Ping supports the Education Freedom Accounts and Moms for Liberty, a group that opposes school curricula covering topics like LGBT rights, race and ethnicity, critical race theory, and discrimination. Some chapters of Moms for Liberty also campaign to remove books about gender and sexuality from school libraries. The New Hampshire branch of Moms for Liberty gained national attention for placing $500 “bounties” on teachers in the state and encouraging residents to report teachers who run afoul of the state’s so-called “divisive concepts” law, which was ultimately overturned by a federal judge earlier this year.

Marijuana Legalization 

Ping supports recreational marijuana legalization. She said on Citizens Count: “I would like to see the existing therapeutic centers in NH play a larger part of the conversation than they did in this last legislative session. I would have supported the most recent legislation that failed in the house.”

Reproduction Rights
Ping said she would not vote to change current NH state law, which bans abortion at 24 weeks gestation with exceptions for fatal fetal diagnosis and the life of the mother. 

Economy and Housing

Ping said she has a liberal policy on housing. She supports creating accessory dwelling units, tiny houses, and quadruplexes to address the housing shortage. 

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