Just minutes after her budget deal passes the legislature and is headed to her desk, Gov. Kelly Ayotte joins NHJournal to talk about the process, her priorities and her very public battle with Republican legislators. Did Ayotte get everything she wanted? Does she think she went too far in her fight with the state Senate? She talks about it with NHJournal Managing Editor Michael Graham. Also, some rank punditry on the current state of the New Hampshire Democratic Party. (Hint: Not Great, Bob.) Sp...
Jun 27, 2025•34 min
Tracy Richmond, Chair of the Board for The Jewish Federation of New Hampshire, talks to NHJournal's Michael Graham about life in the Granite State as a Jewish American as antisemitic violence claims two more lives on the streets of Washington, D.C. That violence was accompanied by the "Free, Free Palestine" chant heard at UNH and the state capitol in Concord. Then Graham launches into a rant about the World's Worst Political Cover Up -- the fact that Joe Biden was mentally unfit to be President ...
May 23, 2025•38 min
Tiffany Justice has been fighting for years to keep biology and gender in tandem, rejecting progressive arguments that sex is merely a social construct and that there are dozens of genders. Co-founder of Moms for Liberty, Justice is now a Heritage Foundation Visiting Fellow on Parental Rights. And after listening to the U.S. Supreme Court hearing on a parental rights case on Tuesday, she joins the NHJournal podcast to talk about the trend toward protecting girls sports and spaces from biological...
Apr 23, 2025•35 min
Gov. Chris Sununu says he's going to sit out the 2026 U.S. Senate race -- what does that mean for New Hampshire politics? NHJournal Managing Editor Michael Graham asks veteran political reporter Mark Halperin. He gives his take on Sununu's decision, the chances Republicans will pick up the seat, and why he thinks Rep. Maggie Goodlander could be the biggest danger to Rep. Chris Pappas' Senate hopes. In addition to some rank punditry from the host, state Rep. James Spillane (R-Deerfield) talks abo...
Apr 09, 2025•42 min
New Hampshire Democrats are as mad as hell, and they're not gonna take it anymore! Not from their members of Congress -- as Rep. Maggie Goodlander learned at a town hall this week -- or from their fellow members of the New Hampshire legislature. Just ask progressive Rep. Jonah Wheeler (D-Peterborough). All that anger is going to have an impact on the 2026 campaigns. The big question is who will be running? Goodlander? Rep. Chris Pappas? Former Gov. Chris Sununu? Plenty of rank punditry from your...
Mar 21, 2025•50 min
On this special edition of the New Hampshire Journal podcast, the news just broke that U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen will not seek a fourth term, the third swing-state Senate Democrat to decide to bail before 2026. What does that mean for New Hampshire? We ask veteran GOP strategist Jim Merrill for his insights into the Granite State's 2026 election cycle without Shaheen at the top of the ticket. What does it mean for D.C. Democrats and their hopes of winning back control of the upper chamber? Dav...
Mar 13, 2025•41 min
An article quoting Sam Evans-Brown of Clean Energy NH led to a tweet by host Michael Graham which led to a minor kerfuffle which resulted in a terrific conversation about New Hampshire, EVs, and the real numbers on energy in New England. Another tweet, from Democratic operative Lucas Meyer , claims New Hampshire Republicans are plotting an "income tax." (Spoiler alert: No.) Plenty of green energy policy and rank punditry in this edition of the NHJournal podcast, made possible by Dr. Bruce Hought...
Mar 10, 2025•52 min
Jamie Reed describes herself as a "queer woman who's politically to the left of Bernie Sanders." For years, she worked at The Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital -- until she became a whistleblower. What Reed saw violates the "first, do no harm" tenets of health care. "Instead, we are permanently harming the vulnerable patients in our care," she says. Reed is now executive director of the LGBT Courage Coalition . She's heading to New Hampshire to testify on ...
Feb 26, 2025•31 min
Just hours after delivering her budget address to the New Hampshire legislature, Gov. Kelly Ayotte talks to NHJournal about the details -- including her actual position on expanding Education Freedom Accounts, and her rebuttal to Democrats' claims of 'downshifting.' The new GOP governor also addresses her commitment to passing bail reform, why her budget contains actual cuts, not just "slowed spending," and what the heck happened with the GOP's Right-To-Work crash-and-burn minutes after her addr...
Feb 14, 2025•39 min
Trump storms back into Washington, D.C. and Granite State Republicans are pumped! While they were forced watch from ballrooms or meeting rooms, New Hampshire who went to Washington for the inauguration were delighted by what they heard from the president. What were his best moments? What should Granite Staters take away from Trump's inaugural address? We asked NHGOP state chair Chris Ager and longtime NH Trump ally, Rep. Fred Doucette (R-Salem). Plus: Why NH Democrats should not cry for Joe Bide...
Jan 20, 2025•42 min
In her first podcast interview as New Hampshire's governor, Republican Kelly Ayotte talks about the budget challenges facing the Granite State, her determination to get a sanctuary city ban passed through the legislature, and why her "Don't MASS Up NH" motto continues to resonate. Plus: NHJournal Managing Editor Michael Graham reveals the secret behind the news site's recent spate of scoops. You won't believe it! Sponsored by Perfect Smiles of New Hampshire. Want to support NHJournal's independe...
Jan 14, 2025•18 min
Kelly Ayotte makes her first appearance on the NHJournal podcast as Gov.-elect. She talks about her vision for New Hampshire, the key message from her campaign, and her take on how her response to federal immigration enforcement is going to be very different from Massachusetts. And Drew Cline with the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy talks about a new study showing the massive cost ratepayers face from progressive "green energy" policies enacted by New England states. The podcast sponsor...
Nov 20, 2024•33 min
Who were the biggest winners and losers on Election Day 2024 in New Hampshire? When NHJournal published its list, the reaction was so intense we decided to invite some of the smartest observers of Granite State politics to add their own winners and losers: Greg Moore with Americans for Prosperity and Drew Cline, president of the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy. If you want to add your own winner or loser to the list, post it on twitter and tag @NewHampJournal, or email news@insidesource...
Nov 07, 2024•43 min
Robert Cahaly of the Trafalgar Group is best known for being the pollster who spotted Donald Trump's support in 2016 and his path to a shocking victory. Eight years later, American politics is in even more turmoil and the current state of polling is a matter of great debate. Cahaly covers all of this with NHJournal's Michael Graham, and he shares his predictions for the U.S. Senate races across the country. And of course -- who will win the POTUS race? Sponsored by Dr. Bruce Houghton and Perfect...
Oct 30, 2024•33 min
Nobody was more surprised by the new NHJournal/Praecones Analytica poll showing Donald Trump with a 50.2 to 49.8 percent lead over Kamala Harris in the Granite State than NHJournal Managing Editor Michael Graham. He talks about the numbers, what they mean, and how it fits into what the Trump campaign believes is a purple-state trend, with veteran political journalist Mark Halperin. Find out more about Halperin's 2Way news programming here. Podcast sponsored by Dr. Bruce Houghton and Perfect Smil...
Oct 28, 2024•30 min
After breaking news of Trump momentum in the Granite State and talk that New Hampshire may be in play, NHJournal rushed to the microphone for this emergency podcast with former New Hampshire political reporter (now relegated to the minors in Massachusetts), the Boston Globe's James Pindell. From the national scene to New Hampshire, Pindell and host Michael Graham review the latest data on the Trump v Harris race. But first -- an anguished plea from the podcast host to America's political class: ...
Oct 25, 2024•51 min
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu joins the NHJournal podcast the morning after the New Hampshire state primaries, to share his surprise over the outcomes of some of the races and what he believes his fellow Republicans have to do to win in November. Sununu also shares his views on Donald Trump's "less than stellar" debate performance and what he thinks it means for New Hampshire in November. Hosted by Michael Graham. Sponsored by Perfect Smiles of Nashua....
Sep 12, 2024•26 min
The NHJournal podcast starts with UNH political science professor Dante Scala and a look at the New Hampshire political battlefield now that Vice President Kamala Harris has given her convention speech and the race for the White House is at full speed. Then a far more profound conversation with Brian Nolen of NH4Ukraine.com , who's currently near the front lines of the fight against Russia's invasion. Takeaways: Just a few dollars can help feed a Ukrainian family at the front lines for a month; ...
Aug 23, 2024•53 min
What does Joe Biden's decision to bail mean for New Hampshire politics this November? Would Kamala Harris on the ticket help or hurt Granite State Democrats? And a new NHJournal poll shows Trump and Harris tied in a New Hampshire head-to-head. What does it all mean? We ask longtime Trump advisor and New Hampshire politico Corey Lewandowski; former NHGOP state chair Fergus Cullen; and Nashua native turned DC operative Matthew Bartlett. Plus J. Mark Powell, author of the popular Holy Cow! History ...
Jul 22, 2024•48 min
Now that Donald Trump has named U.S. Senator J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) his running mate, what does it mean for the chances of a Trump win in New Hampshire? NHJournal puts that question to UNH political science professor Dante Scala. Also, NHGOP Chair Chris Ager joins the pod from Milwaukee, where he says it "game over" for Biden in the wake of his debate performance and Trump's handling of the assassination attempt in Pennsylvania. Sponsored by Perfect Smiles of Nashua....
Jul 16, 2024•45 min
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu says Democrats have talked themselves into the assumption that President Joe Biden is on his way out as their nominee. The problem: They haven't talked Joe Biden into it, yet. And they are unlikely to, Sununu says. In this edition of the NHJournal podcast, hosted by Managing Editor Michael Graham, Sununu explains why getting Biden out is going to be much harder than many pundits have suggested. He also talks about the likely impact of the Biden controversy on race...
Jul 08, 2024•44 min
On this special edition of the NHJournal podcast recorded immediately after the Biden v. Trump debate, political pros Corey Lewandowski, Matthew Bartlett and UNH political science professor Dante Scala join host Michael Graham with the same reaction: Biden blew it, Terrible performance, perhaps career ending. Drew Cline of the Josiah Bartlett Center also joins the conversation to talk about what Biden's performance could mean for New Hampshire Democrats. Plus comments from Granite State GOP cand...
Jun 28, 2024•34 min
Mark Halperin of the "Wide World of News" is one of the smartest observers of American politics. He joins the NHJournal podcast to discuss the POTUS race, Biden's odd campaign trip to the Granite State, and whether New Hampshire—which Democrats have carried in seven of the past eight presidential races—is really in play for Donald Trump. Also on the podcast, New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella on New Hampshire's role in high-profile court battles from Ticketmaster to the Second Amendmen...
May 24, 2024•52 min
Former GOP state Rep. Ross Berry talks exclusively with NHJournal about his controversial actions as House Election Law Committee chair that sparked an angry protest from Democrats and saw him forced out by Republican House Speaker Sherm Packard. Berry stunned many in NH politics by promptly resigning his House seat -- not because of the controversy, but because he and his family were moving out of the district to a new home in Weare, N.H. Berry, one of the most controversial -- and, some say, i...
May 17, 2024•39 min
“We’re basically at the doorstep of the election, and the outcome is a coin flip.” That's how Suffolk University Director of Polling David Paleologos describes the 2024 general election which is six months away. His new poll has President Biden and former President Trump literally tied -- thanks to the impact of RFK, Jr. Paleologos talks about some of the trends behind the polls, and he points out that it's possible RFK, Jr. may win Electoral College votes this year, thanks to new polling proced...
May 07, 2024•35 min
In this double-barreled edition of the NHJournal podcast, two savvy Republican women talk about politics -- from New Hampshire's Second Congressional District to the Middle East. Morgan Ortagus is founder of Polaris National Security and a former State Department spokesperson from the Trump administration. She shares her view of the Democrats' obsession with engaging, rather than confronting, Iran -- even in the wake of the recent missile attack on Israel. Ortagus also shares what she says are t...
Apr 18, 2024•40 min
On this special edition of the NHJournal podcast, Gov. Chris Sununu talks about the current state of New Hampshire politics, from education funding to Rep. Kuster's farewell to the 2024 POTUS race in the Granite State. Among the highlights: On Gov Race: "Joyce Craig might go down as the worst mayor in the history of Manchester. Even in Manchester, they didn't want the city run by Joyce Craig. Do you think the rest of the state wants it to look like Manchester? God no!" On Debating Colin Van Oste...
Mar 28, 2024•28 min
A day after Rep. Annie Kuster (D-NH) abruptly announced her retirement, veteran New Hampshire GOP strategist Mike Dennehy joins the podcast to talk about what it means for Granite State politics in November 2024 --and beyond. Also, what's the current state of the NHGOP? And why are there so few "productive losses" in Granite State politics? Brought to you by Perfect Smiles of Nashua. To "subscribe" to NHJournal and support independent journalism for $4.99/month, click here....
Mar 28, 2024•39 min
NHJournal Managing Editor Michael Graham asks the question all the political insiders are asking across the Granite State: Are the 2024 elections already over? The GOP primary was over months before FITN primary day -- why not the November general elections? After all, they both involve Trump. The answer may surprise you as much as it surprised Graham. ALSO: Meet First Congressional District GOP primary candidate Chris Bright. He tells his story, from graduating West Point to entering the primar...
Mar 18, 2024•40 min
What do the turnout numbers from the First in the Nation primary tell us about the votes for governor in September's statewide primaries? What can we glean about November's final Biden v Trump showdown from their performances in January? NHJournal asked one of New Hampshire's premier numbers crunchers, Greg Moore with Americans For Prosperity. Hosted by Michael Graham at NHJournal. Sponsored by Perfect Smiles of Nashua.
Feb 05, 2024•45 min
